Trickle
by Whimsical Gentleman
Summary: Ayu has a lot of problems to face: Her mother's death. And in her deprivation she leads to finding romantic company... and so she strives for purpose in life. Thus, the start of her modeling career, when she meets a woman named S.K. Kaji x Ayu x ? Please
1. Reflections of a Fool

Trickle

Ultra Maniac

By Whimsical Gentleman

Author's Note – Hey-hey. I'm back again with writing fanfiction. Ahhh. I miss the feeling already. Well, anyway, I'm not new here, although I did change my penname :P So here goes my first fanfic after a year… I guess… Hopefully, you could finally see the drastic improvements in my style and content in writing, and I suppose a level up in my grammar. High School was never this hard, so forgive me if I update long and late. Oh yeah, and I'm Filipino. Nax naman. Sana magustuhan niyo ang aking pagsulat, mga kababayan! Add me up in Friendster and YM: Thanks a million

This will be Ayu x Kaji. The most famous classic in Ultra Maniac (and my first romantic story-coupling last year) So I hope this would be a good read for you guys.

Besides that, I'll be leaving for Japan as exchange student this Sunday, so I might not be able to post chapter II until the next two weeks. Forgive thyself. Anyhow, I promised myself I'd give the start a good clincher immediately. Well, hope you like it, until then.

P.S. Forgive me for my Emo-ness, which I believe would strike (after you end the chapter) you to think of me as an emo dude who cuts his wrist from time to time with a knife. Hahaha! This is one genre of writing I was propagating the whole time. Hahaha. It's a paradox I like about myself; I'm a happy-go-lucky person in real life.

Chapter I: Reflection of a Fool

Wealthy with surrounding fat willows and their shadowy leaves, I could not help gape around the space. Envision this, I told myself – A slender seventeen-year old girl in a long black dress and a matching lacy bonnet, a fidgety brunette by means contradictory to her keen eyes, which they told her, were the utmost brave. The walking facial comedy, they would call me. As to my squirmy personality would not tally to my so-called valiant expression and face – I suddenly smirked, but that thin grin short-lived, for I remembered what my mom used to say, _"But that's the best part of what you are… You're unique, and be proud of it…" _In that unbelievably warm voice of hers. It resonated inside my head, as if the tiniest dwarves were having a rave party in my head with my mother's compliment as their dance track. I whimpered and shook my head, several tresses of my hair strayed on my face… before I realized it, my eyes were wet, a couple of tears restrained not to fall. Mother was gone… Not more than a day… and I miss her so much…

I was by the lake. That lake just near the bridge connecting a road only a few know of the town to Eyobashi High School. The place was superb. The fact that the thick willows were embracing the lake proper, it was concealed, and I do believe I was the only person who knew of this little hideout of mine... It wouldn't be a hideout if somebody other than me knew this place after all. I remembered it was just last year, when I was trying to find someone since I borrowed her homework for copying since I forgot to do it… then I stumbled and fell and rolled down the slope. It was grace a trunk of the willow blocked my way or I could have risked my uniform wet by then if I fell off the lake.

Shrugging, the sun glared again, and I moved nearer to the lake, as there was a tree for shade there. My reflection on the water made me stare at it though… and come to think of it, it was so long since I thoroughly observed myself… My brown hair long and stray strands on my face, I had sweat on my forehead and I didn't want to wipe it up… _"But that's the best part of what you are… You're unique, and be proud of it…" _My eyes shook…

Mother's voice loomed and conquered my mind again… Seemingly, that warm voice at that certain moment was a disguised scream, something spiteful and cursed. It was then when my eyes gave up and tears crawled down my face…

My eyes brave, huh? I asked myself… they weren't. They were weak, just like how I am. I wasn't a facial comedy. They were mistaken… They weren't defiant; they were queasy and fragile just like myself. I would gladly show these tears to them… how they were so wrong about my eyes.

It was as if memories were being forcibly put inside my head. I moped quietly and I shivered as I did. True, I lived alone and I was independent the whole time… There were no parents to watch me, or to supervise, or to scold me when I did wrong. I could have thanked the heavens that mother wasn't with me the whole time. I was, what they would call, free. All my mom did to help me was to send me money… and even that I took for granted… And yes, soon I did create the mentality I was free...

But I realized just today as her coffin was buried under the parch soil, maybe I was wrong… I was caged… Caged because of my guilt for taking granted of my mother's love for me… It was as if my heart slapped itself, and loathed itself for being a fool. It was true… We just realize how important someone is when he or she is forever gone. When reality assures you they won't be coming back. Ever again. A bitter laugh had gone out of my laugh…

I was a fool and nothing more. And I thought I could really live without mother… without that special presence of hers… I was really a fool for thinking so… If I could bang my head on the tree I was leaning on, or if I could drown myself in the lake… Right now I would happily do so… But it had stricken me I'd act more foolish if I did either…

"_But that's the best part of what you are… You're unique, and be proud of it…" _

Maybe the best part of me is being a fool… If mother was here, alive and breathing, with that trademark smile of hers, saying that same compliment, I would have asked if what she meant was that the best part of me was being a fool… My weeping just got stronger and I hid my face behind my palms…

"Ayu…Hey…" Someone said, behind me, and even before I had put away my palms to let my eyes see, that person hugged me… "Everyone's looking for you, Ayu…" It was Kaji… His brown hair neatly fixed, and wore a black tuxedo, he looked ideal for someone to lean on at a time like this when I felt like a stupid fool and hated every second of it… "You really didn't have to go so far from the venue of the funeral just to cry, you know."

I hugged him back, and he was warm, just like my mother. His smell was of wood spice, something weirdly masculine in aroma, "Kaji… I'm sorry…"

"See…you could always come to me if you're going to cry…" he whispered near my ear, and he smiled boyishly, "Next time don't hide yourself in a secluded place like this… Ayu…"

"Oh Kaji…"

"Everyone was really worried. Nina, Rio, Tsujiai scattered around town just to find you… With that kind of personality you've got there, they'd probably think you'd commit suicide, or something… But I would not agree with that," he told me again huskily with a tailing sound as if to make joke…

I suddenly remembered I had a little attempt to bang my head on the trunk of tree or drown myself down the lake a few minutes ago. I had to laugh nervously when I heard Kaji's opinion.

He smiled thinly and released me from our embrace, "Even Queen Maya, the King, and their entourage paid their respects a few minutes after you disappeared into thin air in the funeral," he added, "of course in normal clothing… Well, except Sebastian, who still had his weird purple butler get-up, still trying several, various attempts to murder his mistress's lizard under the attacks of wretched jealousy towards the reptile…"

Kaji waited for me to laugh, but I guess it was obviously expected for me just to shrug and look away, with a forced smile plastered on my face… I heard Kaji sigh, and in that heave of deep breath, I devised the idea he was frustrated with the situation, "C'mon Ayu… don't be like this…" he finally said, giving up his pretend-nothing-bad-happened dialogue towards me, displaying those sincere eyes trying to cheer me up, of course, with no success

"How can I NOT be? My mother's dead. Is it me or until by now you haven't understood or seen anything yet?" I thought I was steaming up, "I know… maybe I'm too weak… but that weak me is the real Ayu, isn't it…" I told him, "You don't even know how I feel now, or maybe even in the past… Your mom's always there, and fortunately still alive… How come mine's dead and I haven't even really spent enough time with her?" I seemingly asked the air… my voice trembling with accusations to no one in particular. "Why does it even have to be this bitter? This life is nothing but bullshi—"

"Don't even say that." Said he simply, and it made me look at his eyes. His round, soft eyes morphed into something sharp and predator-like, reminding me of a hawk. They horribly looked intimidating, as if to warn me not to get overboard… And all I could do was shut up and stare at him, and he stared back.

Incessant, the place got abnormally still, and the only heard things were the murmuring lake and the heartbeats I wasn't sure if they were audible or not. One thing I was sure of was that everything that comprised the scenery actually made an invisible melody… as if the unheard music was anticipated for both of us, Kaji and me… An omen… possibly. A sign that said things had changed since before. We just continued to stare, not allowing the other to win the contest we started off, while listening to the music that probably didn't even actually exist.

He opened his mouth... that obvious way guys do without consent that showed they were hesitant… For a second or two I had to wait before he did say something, "I'm sorry for giving you that kind of look." Kaji told me,

"No… It's okay. I was the one at fault and I should be the one apologizing to you…"

"Not to me, Ayu, apologize to yourself."

That single line made me think. I was supposed to say my life was bullshit. What am I supposed to tell myself? _Ohh, I'm so sorry myself, I'm mocking myself… _I just nodded… and then I was again at the verge of making my eyes wet again.

"I just miss my mom, Kaji…"

He heaved a heavy breath again, "Well, here you are, seventeen, and your mother's dead. And just that you'll just give up? You're still young; we're still young. If you think this is hard, just imagine how harder it will be later on."

"Isn't that also the reason sometimes I just want to kill myself?"

"For me that's just non-sense, Ayu. In killing yourself you wouldn't change anything in the world, but making tears roll down of your loved ones. Haven't you realized that yet? You should have. Well, your mom's dead, isn't she?"

It was ironic how he knew this stuff better. And all the more, what Kaji said were awfully true. No matter how I run to escape what he had stated and believed on, I end up facing the dead-end I had no win over his answers.

Kaji made no effort then to comfort me after that. He just propped up and I my eyes trailed his movement, "What am I supposed to do to help you, huh?" He finally told me, his voice exasperated. Even the most gentlemanly person I've ever known seemed to give up on my weakness and me…

Without choice nor any deliberate attempt to hold him, I just mumbled without not making sure he heard my words, "Just leave me alone, Kaji…" and I looked away again almost immediately, not wanting to look at him again that moment…

"If I must…" he sighed, again frustrated. "I'll be at Mimi's Locket; I still have part-time to do… Drop off if you feel better, Ayu," he said, trying to make me feel better, but to no avail of course… "Everyone's waiting for you there…"

"Except my mom, you mean,"

He didn't respond. I heard a rustle of leaves, and a brush of shoe soles with grass and mud, fainting by every moment passed, as I stood still… I didn't even look one last glance at him, and painfully I remained abstinent in looking behind. In time I could hear the motor of Kaji's scooter turning up… and also vanishing away…

And before I knew it, I was alone… again… Secluded again from any other. Hiding away like a coward, I thought people would think of me…

Mother was dead. And in that simple trickle of a fact, everything seemed to crash down to hell, or limbo, or to any place bad or worse than those places… Mother was dead. Mother was really dead.

Cold – no – frigid wind was against my direction, air followed its movement, and in its creepy manner, a distant echo was heard. I thought it was my mother. To my disappointment however, no call came out, and helplessly looked on to the lake.

It was my made-up mirror… and as I saw myself miserably, I saw a fool.

I dully looked upward, as if expecting heaven to fall out as if disintegrating and angels rolling down like scorching meteors crashing down to the Earth, "Ah…" My tears wouldn't go out again, for the sun glare dried them up before they even came down. This was a reflection of a fool.


	2. Friendly Strangers

Trickle

Ultra Maniac

A/N – Yo! I'm back from Japan, and I'm using my new account already, Whimsical Gentleman. Well anyway. I had a fun time there. I resorted to everything related with udon. God. We went to Kyoto, but stayed at Kansai, Osaka the whole time. We also went to Universal Studio Japan, and experienced the wonderful joy of public bath (That is so gay). Well, I wouldn't blabber about my vacation (maybe next time, I suppose), but here I am, inspired with Chapter II of Trickle. Please read!

Oh yeah. Japanese girls are way cute. They were the reasons why I even planned a conspiracy to intentionally lose my passport so I couldn't go back here to the Philippines. Just kidding. Chow! Enjoy this chapter. 

Chapter II

Friendly Strangers

Definitely, after some time, I couldn't just remain twenty-four seven the whole time at the lakeside. I did thought though I could. I just had to face the fact in the end a simple body of water was not enough company for me. True, nature could be your best friend, but I see nothing of a best friend when I look at my reflection. Just fools me. As if the same lake accompanying me was tormenting me the same time, the calming movements of its current; but at the same time that glare of my own face foolishly staring back at me…

It soon led me to the decision to move away then, and for me, it was a miserable thing to decide on, since I didn't know where to stop by next. It felt like I belong to nowhere. Maybe everyone had felt that kind of feeling already, only thing is that the factors that made everyone feel lost differs.

The urban streets were nearing, and for every step I take the cacophonic noise startled to bustle more boisterously. My instincts probably suggested I dressed differently among others. Well, I was in a dress a dozen of people would address to as most formal or that kind of gown you would wear in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I don't know with them. Maybe they're just giving my look too much attention I suppose.

"I'll be at Mimi's Locket, Ayu. I still have part-time there so just drop by if you're done with this silly charades of yours…"

Kaji told me. Well, recollecting that, he obviously expected me to go Mimi's Locket in the end for some kind of human support, not rotting beside the lakeside he would logically deduce. It was all the time he knew always what would be my reaction, what would I say, what would I complain about. Its either way he's a psychology genius, or unfortunately maybe because I'm a banal girl who could be easily predicted by men like him… I don't know. All I could think of is that as long as its Kaji I'd be happy to let him predict my actions, no matter how stupid and clumsy they are.

I started to walk briskly, and I regretted I didn't bring an umbrella or my leather trench coat at least. What I noticed was that it was getting a bit dark and cloudy, even in the daily mid-afternoon weather everyday. My clothing really didn't suit well with the mildly cold air, and that bit touch of wind made me slightly shiver. All it brought was a resigned sigh and nothing more, that same ounce of helplessness rushing through myself again.

I arrive at that avenue finally, Bench Fork Avenue, as it was named literally because the park benches formed a fork shape that also designed that certain walkway. It started to drizzle, God's grace showered abundant as I saw a tree for temporary roof. Again, my mother popped out again, as I remembered, she was too careful for me not to get a fever or even the slightest cold or my temperature decimals up than thirty-seven Celsius, she would persistently send me vitamin C, a mish mash of differently colored pills and chewable Flintstone tablets, and loads and loads of more. I wished it all happened again.

The drizzle progressed stronger to the point it was considered already as rain, and the wind colder. I changed my mind about being idle under the tree. I walked out and let myself get wet, thinking my mom would send me pills or vitamins still, probably medicine from heaven, I thought sickly…

Own feet wandered again. It took me long enough to see I was alone walking boldly under the rain, just beside me a commotion of cars bundling up traffic as water deluged and flooded. _"Go to Mimi's Locket"_

It wasn't Kaji's order, it was mine. Well, at least a certain side of my own self. That certain part of Ayu was forcing me to make a left turn in that corner I was facing just now. And I did make a left turn. What met me was a cemented wall of a building with a broken window with dirt-showered glass. This was usually the landmark that symbolized I was near Mimi's Locket. Well, frankly at least that I could remember always when searching for the café hideout. It was one of those little places you didn't expect you'd find at the shabby narrow back streets. It was raining, and mud puddles that ominously spilled on my feet were found on the badly cemented floor. But aside the grubby urban setting there was that distant but true smell of perfume-like scent of coffee, tea, and cinnamon, or the head-turner music of slow rock bustling the laid-back mood of that paradise lounge just near the place where I was standing at a halt.

I faced that old descending wooden stairs, only accommodating one person at a time when climbing down due to the narrowness of the stairway. It looked almost like fossil, for me. Haggardly I walked to the stairway, at one step a sound of a very scary creak wound be audible. I looked at my watch while doing so – just about quarter to seven – That was good timing… Kaji still worked there. I reached the door, and I peeked first behind the colored glass.

There was Kaji. I smiled sparsely as I saw him. He looked awesome in his candid way of serving a variation of people. He was in his usual hair, brown hair pushback, and in the official and stylish Mimi's Locket uniform, which comprised of a purple suit and tie. From what it seemed he looked like making coffee, and he looked like enjoying it.

In advance, I opened the door and chimes clattered with each other gently. If you were to observe the place outside it looked a lot brighter than the impression if you step in finally. In certainty, the place was rather dark. It made you feel like those times you lived in the medieval ages, just like as if candles were strung on the ceiling to keep light barely glowing for visibility in the room.

The café smelled like coffee potpourri with its strong flavored scent it made your senses slurry. Fashionably disarranged was the term and excuse for the chaotically placed furniture, as if a cyclone had just gone wild inside Mimi's Locket. There were only a few people inside. Logically, who would want to get involved with dark alleys and reach this little hideout, unless they would desire for good-looking and kind café tenders, I guess.

Kaji eyed me as he heard the chimes, solely getting finished giving the platter of chorizos and a cup of steaming coffee to one of the customers, just behind the counter with grotesque buntings. He smiled, his eyes shone as the dim light pounded on his irises, "Good evening ma'am, how may I help you?"

Tsk. Now he's pretending Ayu Tateishi didn't exist in his life, for guaranteed and I strictly believed was a joke, otherwise I might have got a comatose right now. I sat down the tall chair, resting my arms on the counter, facing Kaji himself, giving him back a faint smile, "Mimi's Brew, minus the sugar," I told him, looking away, casually suggesting we didn't even know each other,

"Miss, it's rather bitter without the sugar,"

I rolled up my eyes to have a look at him, and a grim chuckle escaped my mouth, "Well, no such difference compared to me."

"And you look dreadful being bitter, pardon me for saying that," replied Kaji, heaving a little sigh, starting to make my coffee. He glanced again at me, demonstrating mock observation scanning over my all-black attire, "Did you just go to a funeral, if you don't mine me asking, Miss—"

Kaji stopped, and I was thinking why is that. Oh yeah, 'He doesn't know me yet'. God. Get a life, I thought. I smirked sullenly, "Ayu Tateishi. Oh! And wow, how did you know I went to a funeral?" I asked in an obviously fake surprised tone,

He shrugged when I looked at him, "You looked like it, also with what you wear, all-black really gives you the impression hell just visited you here." I could hear the hot coffee being poured on my cup, and the instant smell of it comforted my nostrils, "You remind me of someone I met earlier though, just a couple of hours ago."

I took my cup; having a sideward glance at it I quietly gave praise to their silverware. The coffee was delicious, well, only to me perhaps, as the totality of sugar in the steaming beverage was zero. "Yeah?" I replied,

"Yeah, a really close friend of mine actually. I found her secluded beside a lake, moping about her dead mother and this so-called foolishness she sees it as some big fat monster." Kaji told me; in that personally foreign voice he was as if detesting what he had said, "I tried helping her, trying to convince her she got friends here so there's nothing to worry about, but she really isn't giving herself a chance to bend. It's annoying, somehow. Not realizing how stubborn a woman can be after so many years you had known her."

"But perhaps it was too much of a shock…" I reasoned out,

He grinned, and he looked good as he smiled in the hazy lighting, "That's what she said too. You know, you're really like her."

I laughed a little. I didn't expect Kaji would be so serious with this playing-around that we were strangers to each other. "Because maybe that girl you were referring to and me are just the same person…" I finally suggested,

Kaji shook his head, "No."

"Why so?"

"Because the Ayu Tateishi in front of me is a greater lady than the Ayu Tateishi bawling at the lakeside." I smiled at him. A real smile. "Say what," Kaji cut off my silence, "I'll treat you a cinnamon bun," That made me smile some more. Their cinnamon buns were divine… not to mention expensive, "Don't worry, they wouldn't notice it. Besides, you're one of the few people who immaculately go here regularly. We give you credit."

I was about to reply, when the door chimes echoed again within the room, and that creaking sound that meant someone was going inside. The sounds were too much conspicuous it was hard not to get curious. I had a sideward glance at the person who came in. Surprisingly, it was a woman, a tall woman exactly. She had blonde hair in straight tresses covered her face, and she wore a plum-colored trench coat with a white tank top and an averagely short black skirt with dangling lace frilled all over it. Oh. And Hush Puppies white boots that reached the knees as it gleamed. She had a bearing of a model, "Wow. Does she go here frequently? She could have turned more heads in more popular cafes in town."

"No. It's also the first time for me to see that lady here." Spoke Kaji, but his eyes were like a vulture's over the woman walking towards a table beside the wall.

"Boys." I sighed.

"What? Don't get me wrong! You're more beautiful, don't worry."

I smirked theatrically. "Boys." I repeated again. I sipped my coffee again casually, and Kaji shoved the cinnamon bun on a plate and put it in front of me.

"Here you go, eat it while it's hot, Ayu." He told me, suggesting he had already stopped from pretending they didn't know each other.

"Whaaaat?" I complained, "We're not playing the roles of friendly strangers anymore?" I made puppy dog eyes that made him laugh a little,

"Not anymore, Ayu. After all, I had made my point, right? I'm just happy you're here. I wish though you could have dropped by earlier, since Nina, Yuta, Tsujiai, Maya, all of them were fussing about you, you know. All of them looked so cute trying to find a way to cheer you up while you were gone. They even planned to hire some band and celebrate here without ant permission from my manager. I had to scream just to keep my job safe and intact. I wouldn't want to be the cause of trouble I might end up ruining my reputation here."

"Hehehe." I laughed, and I savored the sweet taste of the cinnamon Kaji gave to me for free. It was good to have close friends working for cafes.

"Tetsushi!" A female voice behind the door leading to the only-for-staff room shouted Kaji's last name, a bit of a commanding voice rather

"Hai." Kaji instantly replied, "I have to jet. Mrs. Chujo is calling me. She hates sluggish people, so I need to rush inside. Ja mata."

I was left sitting, plainly stirring my coffee with the teaspoon. How lonely. I thought to myself. But somehow, I also thought in some way my angst had lifted itself above, something like a lighter burden to carry. I considered the fact I was all alone, if mom died, and she did. Well. I was wrong. I still have Kaji and the rest of the crew. For sure probably no one could replace mother… But everyone said I was brave, then so be it. I'll be brave and valiant. And in spite of my fragile demeanor, by now I would happily— at least try— to move on. I sighed… Maybe I couldn't do that…

Thus my reflective thoughts led me to staring at my coffee. I watched it stir, as well as the steam that wheezed and whirled above it. Maybe I might fail… But trying would be better than doing nothing at all.

I smirked. What a cliché.

"Good evening, dear."

A gentle hand swept my shoulder. Her voice was pretty graceful, more of petite. I looked to see who she was. But before looking, I predicted it was Mrs. Chujo, Kaji's boss. I was incorrect, unfortunately. The lady was smiling, "Can I sit here with you, that is if you feel comfortable with me."

"Oh!" She was the woman in great clothes who entered just a couple of minutes ago, "Please, I really don't mind. In fact, I really want company right now."

"Very well," She sat beside me, and she removed her coat, "Honestly, it's really hot here." She seemed to be in a trance for a while, "Sorry, forgive my manners, I'm Mrs. Seki Kawakami." She grinned again. Mrs.?! I cried mentally to myself as I crowed my eyes at her in a casual way. Would a wide dress up in sleeveless tank tops and a short skirt and really preppy boots. The woman laughed, "I know why you're looking at me like that."

"Oh my god!" I blushed apologetically, "I didn't meant to offe—"

"No, it's okay. I'm already immune to ogling eyes when I inform them I already have a husband, and I'm already in my thirties."

I looked at her in disbelief, "You even talk not so like your age, Mrs. Seki."

"I'll take that as a compliment." She grinned a fabulous grin, "And please just call me S.K. Makes me sound younger, right?" She made me chuckle more. S.K. was an interesting woman, as she made her conversations casually humorous.

"Okay, fine, if you would insist. I'm Ayu Tateishi, by the way."

She looked pleased, and she offered me a shake of hands, "Well, judging from my observations, you seemed pretty close with the café tender." S.K. continued,

"Yup." I told her, and I took a piece of cinnamon. _Pretty close, but we were acting like friendly strangers a whole ago. _

"You're very lucky you have good-looking friends." She paused, "But I had a weird feeling though, the way you were with him, as you voicelessly talked with him from afar."

"What?"

"Well, pardon me for being quite strange on this, but I have this knack for guessing the thing called expression by looking at one's face." Told S.K. "Yours was happy and at the same time a lot heavy and depressed. As if a person dies, and you retrieve your happiness back just by spending time with a close person— well, in your case, that café tender just back then."

"Wow. How did you know that…"

"It's pretty obvious, you see, with what you wear. It really isn't the season for all-black get-ups, unless you go attend a funeral, or a burial, besides, your face is most expressive." S.K. smiled, and one way or another, the curve of her lips was different compared to the past ones. "It's very fortunate for me to go here, I discovered someone like you."

I stopped drinking my coffee, and eating my cinnamon, "What do you mean by that?"

"Hmmm… Where should I start," she hummed, and she took out her wallet and showed me her I.D. with another dazzling photo. Usually, I.D.s have bad shots of faces, but hers was the exception, "Seki Kawakami also known as S.K., president of Aira modeling agency." She said humbly, without any hint of bragging, "Pleased to meet you."

My eyes widened. I wished Kaji were here just beside me, just in case I ended up falling down from the tall chair I was sitting on, against the counter. My coffee was still, not steaming anymore, probably already cold.

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A/N – Yo!! Nice Chapter this is!! Hahahaha. I hope the exchange of Ayu's emotions were not too sudden. I did make some proof why Ayu lifted her spirits up. Because of Kaji. He managed to cheer Ayu up. Well, anyway, please review. I think this would be a good start. Oh yeah. There will be a lot of surprises, I promise you. PLEASE REVIEW.


	3. Sleep Talk

Trickle

Ultra Maniac

By Whimsical Gentleman

Author's Notes – Hey! Hahaha! Obviously I'm for another chapter so I'm hopeful this would be a lot better than the past two.

Rezani – Hey! Thanks a lot for saying that. Really appreciated it.

Imai – Fuck you. Respect the author. What comes first in his mind will the one written first. Otherwise write your own story. p Beh. Oh yeah, for people who do not know him yet, beware of him. Never believe what he says when he reviews you. This dude has down syndrome or something.

Well, anyway, I will feature some of fluff in the last part. Please do take time reading it. I hope you please review!! Wah! I only have few reviews. Sniff…

Chapter III: Sleep talk

"_Seki Kawakami also known as S.K., president of Aira modeling agency."_

Her voice ricocheted in my ears, almost like twisting them. If I had been holding my coffee cup just then when S.K. said her identity, I could have spilled my coffee. My eyes amplified its size. Unlike her, excitement was building up, and she sat there calmly beside me, in a situation that looked like she was talking to an old friend of hers, without the slightest care about whatever topic.

Where were café tenders when you need them, huh? I asked myself, as I deeply wished for Kaji's presence right now, in this awkward moment. "Okay, S.K." I blurted, "Oh my goodness."

"I suppose you already know why I talked to you in the first place, Miss Ayu Tateishi." I had to nod quietly, "But for formality's sake, let me… verbally… say it to you. I want you to work for me. We really need someone right now; we need you, _exactly_ you."

"Yes, yes… I understand you need someone… but why the fuck me?" I told her exasperatingly… I was semi-back in my gloomy mood again, but I hardly noticed, because of the booming happenings that occurred at one day only.

"Because I can see what you can be, in the business, perhaps." Replied S.K. "I even followed you here, if you would ask anyone working for me, they would have said you must have got something for me to chase you around like a tail."

"But—"

She gave me a finger, just to cut my words, "I did consider though, getting near to you. I had a little doubt if I should bug you. That face of yours looking like you have just been slapped by probably a big predicament. And then it came I watched you talk with that man just in front of you a while ago, your expression gave it all. I _loved_ it. It isn't everyday I get to see those."

Was she praising me? In my interior, I barely believed what she just said.

"Tell me, Ayu, what year are you in now?"

"Fourth year of senior high school." I slightly muttered.

"I see, I see…" her voice was analyzing. There was time lapse wherein silence was prominent, and every second of it, turned out to be a vague visualization of me in front of cameras, or worse, my posed faces in billboards hung on metal frames along the streets. Probably I would be passing by a magazine stand and I would see myself posing on the cover page. "So— are you with me?" S.K. asked me, a bit slowly.

I didn't even give time for myself to think. I looked at her, and my face contrasted to hers, which was smiling. Why did I even come here? Moreover, of all the places Kaji could work part-time for, why Mimi's Locket? I sighed incessantly. _My God. _In less than twenty-four hours my mother had reached her final destination, I broke down; a certain man had helped me a lot, got into playing charades with him inside a café, and then out of the blue a president of a modeling agency suddenly blurted out I had potential and insisted I should work for her. What fuckcrap, I told myself. Since when did heaven proposed so many occurrences that would probably change my life forever, huh? "Miss Tateishi?" S.K. called out my name,

My stance demolished, and personally, I'd rather have a standstill for a lifetime than answer S.K. I looked at her, and her neutral face was utterly convincing I should say yes, but besides that— when I looked at her in the eye— she left me with the stage and the mental microphone to choose… "I'm sorry, S.K. But I can't accept your proposal."

I looked away, blushing. I always get embarrassed when I reject an offer, especially from people who I like very well… even from strangers, actually. S.K. sighed, but from her sigh, I believed there was no trace of any disappointment or such, and just discovering that, I almost felt a bit happier. "Very well, dear. It's okay." She smiled again; she looked like nothing really happened. And it puzzled me. She did say the fact that whether I accept or reject her deal will most probably affect Aira. I watched her fumble the pockets of her sleek coat, getting a ballpoint pen and a crème-colored card with nothing on it, "Here you go, just contact me if you change your mind, Miss Tateishi."

_Seki Kawakami S.K._

_Pres. Aira Modeling Corp. _

_09156893307_

She scribbled her contacts in her thin, curvy penmanship. After doing so, she put it silently beside me in a manner that the card brushed my elbow. I need not mutter anything, but I ended up heaving a sigh, "Hey, nice to meet you, S.K. Good night." Although I didn't like her offer, I liked her very much. A good stranger, I thought. it wasn't that often I could meet people who are actually presidents of big agencies… or probably it wasn't that often also women have S.K. for a nickname. By instinct, I had to at least verbalize the sincere pleasure to meeting a fine lady like her.

She smiled, as she did without failure even at the beginning of our little chat, and probably a business tête-à-tête, "You too, Ayu." She walked away, and stopped again, "Maybe I should come here from time to time. They make great coffee, as you could find _lovely_ people here too…" She laughed, and she finally exited without any word.

"_Wind… wind… Ohh… Why are you talkin' to me… Just as if I'm a heart to be blown by you… Oh baby, you're such handsome wind—"_

I listened to the radio, some 80's music was playing… The remainder of the time I was ignored by my coffee cup, teasing me in all of its unmoving glory. I sat dumb staring at the ceramic cup. It seemed I wished all my life to make the cup grow alive, and entertain me… like the one in _The Beauty and the Beast_ perhaps. I smirked…Okaaaaaay… Why am I even thinking of that Disney movie anyway…

Kaji was taking so long it got me frustrated. What was Mrs. Chujo… whatever her name was… making him do? "Man…" I mumbled to myself, finally giving up on waiting. I hoped S.K. was still here… it would be so much better if she didn't offer that job she wanted to give me. Jeez… am I fit to model? I did not think so. I grabbed the ballpoint pen near the counter, well, supposing it was Kaji's, and I'm sure he would not mind anyway. I grabbed some paper there,

_Kaji,_

_Hey… I'm sleepy now, why did you take so long to go out of that door. I've been waiting for you all the time, you know. Well, anyway, I think it's a good thing also; I could go out without paying anything. Hahaha! _

I wanted to say about meeting S.K. while he was away… Should I? No… I decided finally, maybe that could wait. As if all that shit about Aira was a matter of life and death for me…

… Anyway, take care when you go home. I know you'll be leaving late here. We still have classes tomorrow, if you forgot, Kaji. Good night, and yeah, I love you.

_P.S. thanks for cheering me up, and treating me divine coffee…_

Having satisfaction over what I wrote, I neatly folded the little paper, and set it inside his inventory notebook, with the ballpoint pen beside it so the reserved page wouldn't be completely sandwiched.

After that, I went out of Mimi's Locket.

---------------------------

I did not speak anymore during the whole trip home. It was a quirky but sad thought, an involuntary internal riot; the many faces of my dead mother revolting why am I in deep tristesse. Her fragrant words enveloped my mind. And as if like waging war, my barely left comfort was in versus to my present melancholy… personally feeling like grit and crushed rocks in your shoes without wearing socks. A sprinting car passed by, displacing puddles of dirty water, while I was silently walking on the sidewalks alone. It was unusually quiet. I just realize those past events when I got the unwanted chance to walk in this uphill route alone, were noisier. Well, not to the extent it could be considered cacaphony, but rather a continuous, irritable buzzing sounds of the bustling streets downtown at the dead of night.

I would happily appreciate it if a paper plane happened to hit my head, and I picked it up, opened it, reading aloud there were hundreds of things to talk and think about other than dead family members, coffee makers, beautiful old ladies, and modeling careers. Of course, by nature, it was only limited to a hypothetical situation.

But thankfully, before it lasted too much to say my walk was too long, I was already standing at the porch, a doormat shaped like a cat meeting my feet. Opening the door and locking it immediately, without care I removed my shoes, turning the lights off and heading towards my room without any word.

There was no one saying in their sweet voices, 'Konbanwa, Ayu-san!', and there was no one to call… I ran through the phone, and there was a blinking red light, signifying someone had left a message…

_Oyyy! Ayu-chan! _

No doubt it was Nina, as the voice recorded was choppy, giving the suggestion the speaker must have been shouting over the phone like an insane fan girl would do… Well… there was only one girl who would actually do that kind of thing, and it was Nina…

Where have you gone? We were looking for you, Maya-chan even ordered a battalion of the Magical army to find you here in town. I hard a hard time convince her not to release such a conspicuous crowd walking on streets. My human instinct did develop, you know. 

She sincerely laughed, and even in her clumsy laughter she had already done magic curving my lips in such a fashion it turned out to be a little smile.

_Take it easy, Ayu… I hope you sleep well and tight tonight. Don't forget we have a test about Western expansionism, the Opium War, and the Boxer Rebellion, alright? _

She just made sleeping harder as she mentioned that… Oh Nina…

"I'm so sorry, guys…" I mumbled, even though the gang wasn't here to hear what I've said. I drank a glass of cold water, and went up the staircase to my bedroom. I didn't even bother to change clothes, or take a bath… In my tired feeling, I failed to resist the temptation to just strip to my lingerie, and surrender myself to the bed.

The softness of the surface made my vision woozy, as my bed was unusually wobbly, or probably it was just my sight. I felt I was a little dazed… Hell… probably even drunk… But those petty matters didn't give too much attention to my brain. I could hear myself sub-consciously breathing, and afterwards, I fell to abysmal slumber.

-----------------------------------

_The evening was impeccably beautiful; it was a summer's night. And it seemed as if evening was of younger age than of the winter's, orthe autumn's. The crescent moon shone gloriously above all the stars studded on the velvet sky. I was in awe, the only thing that set aback my happiness was the heavy helmet I was wearing. I never liked the feeling of wearing heavy, 'obese' gear, sitting on my shoulders. _

_I gripped Kaji's waist firm, as the speed of his motor was again building up. It was ten-thirty-ish in the evening. We could have stayed longer at the karaoke bar with some friends, a couple of beers and shots, and roaring laughter. As much as I wanted to stay and party all night since it was the end of the last term in school, I still had to do some extra work for extra credit. I desperately needed it… Kaji valiantly and immediately volunteered to take me home for the evening. It was a good thing my mother wasn't really there to supervise every action I decide upon, like most girls experience. Mom would certainly not allow me to ride a motorbike, especially with a guy._

_I clinched tighter to Kaji. "Whoa, Ayu, don't hold unto me like that, I can't drive Scotty safely if you choke my waist, you know." He said in his helmet. Scotty… well, Kaji had this weird tradition of naming his favorite things. It was always the nascent fact that came to my mind, when some hopeless fangirls goo-goo over Kaji told me his most-worn blue-and-white underwear was also popularly known as Benedict the boxershorts. _

"_Well, you are going too fast. Plus, I'm scared this helmet might fall off and might bring my whole body with it." I complained quietly with humor, "God, why is this helmet so heavy…" _

"_It's just because you are thin, Ayu." He sniggered, "If you're really getting uncomfortable, you can just get off. Who's going to fetch you home, aye?" I grumbled, although he was wearing a helmet, I knew he was smirking…_

"_Damn you." I mumbled with a smile. What piece of fun shit Kaji was. I decided to lessen the constriction of my arms to his waist. "Thank you," I told him, and laid my head against his back. He smelled good in his black corduroy jacket, like wood spice… Kaji always smelled like aromatic wood spice, from dawn until evening. I don't know how he does it, actually, and I'm amazed. A lot of men disagree, but good smell helps a lot… "It's a good thing you didn't get tipsy with your alcohol tonight…" _

"_Hahaha! Well, somehow I knew you would need my help in the end…" he told me, "But I realized what I truly mean was that somehow I really knew we'd end up together tonight." Kaji whispered. The contradicting wind made louder his whisper towards my ears. "It's pretty quiet here, right?" _

"_Come to think of it, this is the first time I passed by this route."_

"_I'm sure the city roads are jammed with cars right now, this route's preferred for a situation like tonight…" he told me… "You love it don't you?" I understood him instantly. The panorama was breathtaking._

_But if I were the stars, and I looked upon this girl riding behind a guy driving his motor, desperately clutching on his back, afraid she might get into an accident… It looked more breathtaking than anything else. _

_I hugged him suddenly— a different hug, out of the blue. I could hear his motor slowing down, and he rested his left foot on the ground to keep our balance stable. He was chuckling sweetly. Kaji took me by surprise, he threw his helmet off and she knew I had also removed mine. It was as if it was already an order from the universe they had conspired us to remove our helms at the same time this fateful minute of this fateful night. _

_Those hard cursed headgears rolled on the cement of the road._

_And like magnetism, the man in front of me faced behind, held my chin, and pointed it upward to permit my lips to contact his. He did not even give me the chance to speak anything, nevertheless, precisely I would not scream and yell in rage if he did gave me the chance to speak… _

_His lips were wet, or possibly it was mine that was wet… I closed my eyes, I could feel his hand pulling me closer and closer, to the extent my body had touched his chest… "Mmmm…" I couldn't make out any word… "Mmmmm…"_

_Kaji completely ignored me… and he pushed his lips on mine… Our tongues were already wanton, and he had started to take the liking of biting my under lip. He brushed his hands on my hair, up and down, up and down… as if he expected to make it longer by stroking it up and down. If he was so aggressive with his hands… mine were just enjoying the hardness and masculinity of his back… "Mmmm…" The wind grew cooler and cooler, but imaginary as it was, it seemed like steam to us both… _

_He cut the kiss, and I signaled myself to open my eyes again. He looked so handsome in the shade of the night, mixing the pale shimmer of the moon and stars, "You're beautiful, Ayu…" Kaji looked away, and he picked up the two helmets unruly on the cement, "I'm sorry for kis—"_

"_I love you…" I blurted out, almost like a scream. He smiled… "I love you, Kaji…" I heard another two thuds hitting the ground, and I closed my eyes again, already expecting to meet his lips again. _

Glaring was the sun, I woke up with pained eyes. It was one thing I always detested about mornings. I could accept everything; rowdy hair, stinky breath, dry saliva, the way you reek… anything… but sun glare… It was because the curtains were thin and white. I do not even know why I have not changed them yet. I yawned…

That dream… that exact time last year… It was stamped on my mind that it was one of the most mortifying but the most romantic events ever… It was a good year.

I went back to present-time, and facing the oaken wall clock, it told me it was half to seven o' clock in the morning. There was ample time for me to take a bath, cook myself with pancakes with strawberry jam as I always did smother them with butter and maple syrup, and to dress up. School starts at seven-thirty. I still remained dumb gaping at the clock merely in its ticking glory.

Oh well— Then came the golden words, _Time is Gold_…

I mumbled to myself, "So take your time…" It is gold, right?

--------------------

Author's Notes – Hey! Did ya'll like it? Hope you did. Well anyway, until then. I still have lots in mind, hahaha, so rest assured I'll get back with a much more interesting chapter.


	4. Campus Blues

Trickle

Ultra Maniac

By Whimsical Gentleman

Author's Notes – Christmas vacation has begun. So I'm writing chapter 4 of Trickle. Sorry for the very late updates. I'm really busy, or if not, attacked by Writer's block. Anyway, I added a lot of O.C.s although I'm not confident I wrote their introduction in a nice way. Well, anyway, I think I'll settle it just like that first. If there would be any complaints about how ugly and unworthy my work is for your royal eyes, I'll be happy to change any part. Have fun!

Chapter IV: Campus Blues

Inevitably, the morning after was a morning reigned by dopey yawns and squinted eyes. Last night I had to stay over-time at Mimi's Locket since the fucking person-in0charge next after me didn't exactly come on time. Perhaps he forgot to set his alarm, or probably he was just so stupid he didn't know how to read the time. I don't know with that fucker. He made me stay up and work all night, as if I'm some kind of nocturnal hamster. Asshole. It was a good thing Mrs. Chujo actually bribed me extra pay just to keep me inside her café for a little more time.

I did have plenty of money when I arrived home. Unfortunately, my dad had gotten angry with me, before my mother passed out. Yeah. I could not believe it. My mom passed out. I remembered I even laughed at the scenario while my dad kept on nagging about security on late evenings. It was practically funny to hear my dad shout a little at twelve in the midnight sharp, possibly waking up the neighbors or something…

Windy as it was, I decided to wear my chocolate brown leather jacket, a yellow bonnet, and a mocha-shaded scarf for the cold weather. As always, I never used my motorbike going to school. Yes, maybe it was a lot faster, but I always considered walking and jogging to school part of my exercise on weekdays. It was almost like a ritual for me to walk when going to school. Anyhow, I passed over the wooden bridge siding the lake Ayu-kun really loved… Well… I stopped and observed the rippling waters, and the floating dead leaves swimming on its surface… Surely, without any hesitation, it was a beautiful place; something that would match up to Ayu, who was just as beautiful… possibly even more beautiful. I found myself smirking— the idea of patronizing a woman seemed funny, when I think about it.

Eyobashi Senior High was a place hard to walk without panting. Just give a newcomer ten minutes of walking inside the campus the next thing you know he's already tired. Although like how living things had been living with nature, I suppose all of the people inside, after a while, gets acquainted with all the mounted and leveled surfaces of Eyobashi. The whole school was— well— literally a hill.

I climbed up the stone stairs, my right hand trailing along the metal rail… The wind was averagely cold for the morning. There were a couple of girls just seated on one of the ridge of the stairs. Of course, as these anonymous girls always did when I pass by them, they start giggling and I could imagine behind my back they were pointing at me… it always leaves me sighing as I continued walking along.

Frankly, I always have wondered why were people making a big deal and exaggerating acknowledgement of my presence— not to boast of it, I meant to myself. It isn't as if I am that good-looking… or maybe I'm humbly a diligent student, or quite excelling in baseball…

Or maybe I am?

And that's why I'm popular with the girls? "Tssch…" I mumbled to myself…

I never did want the whole female population to take notice of me… As long as Ayu did… And it's really obvious Ayu had been taking notice of me, and I believe she believes I take notice of her. It's no surprise there was one fateful evening I took her home from a karaoke party with my bike, and we suddenly took that opportunity to drop some hints to the other… At that right moment I completely thought we understood ourselves fully.

However, what puzzles me then was that how come after all those 'silent' confessions, it still remained as if we were still in the status as mere close friends. I don't know about Ayu, but I really feel I want something better than what we have at current.

And then in some instances, she'd go to me if ever she goes to trouble… or in deep misery, or if an ominous tragedy had befallen on the dainty little girl… She'd always come to me, as time progressed. It was a freaky thing, in fact. From what I knew of Ayu a couple of years ago, she'd go to Nina, and she'd follow her all the time like a haunting ghost if ever she were shock-stricken.

And now she goes to beg for my attention and nevertheless affection, but them in some matters she'd shoo me away, and after a couple of hours end up getting her face in front of me again kissing me… What an odd girl Ayu was… But in her idiosyncrasy I found her the most attractive and interesting of people. That's why I so much love her… In shortcomings and in limits both hers and mine, we find our mistakes the real reasons why we love either person. I suppose that's how I portray our relationship…

I was already along the corridor when I saw Ayu. She looked better now than last night. Something good or at least exciting must have happened. She was with Nina, as always, chirpy and perky as always. Both of them in their uniforms that comprised of white blouses, and checkered blue-and-white pleated miniskirts. "Ohayo!" Nina greeted me cheerfully, raising her whole arm as if to salute me. She never did mind her vivaciousness even though it caught other people's attention like a net.

"Gozaimas," I replied,

"Ayu-kun has something to tell you later," She chuckled a little bit and nudged her best friend on the shoulder,

"Shut up, Nina!" Ayu replied, obviously affected by Nina's tease, "Good morning, Kaji," she smiled again, "Sorry for the behavior of this retard beside me,"

"Hah!" Nina intersected Ayu's speech, "Excuse me, who's the retard here who kept pulling my hair on the way here to school?"

I sighed. Well, certainly Ayu is rather okay by now— Nina just said she waspulling her hair— if I knew Ayu that was very much a good thing… I smiled, "I better be going now, I have to be at the classroom earlier. Got some unfinished errands, you see…" I explained to both of them,

"Well, yeah," said Ayu.

"Tell me later, alright?" I told her, having the urge to kiss her forehead before I go, but somehow, I made my own instincts stop it…

"Yup."

"Okay, see you later then, Nina, Ayu."

"Ja mata!" Nina voiced out as I passed by them, totally regretting I didn't kiss Ayu on the forehead. I was already missing her smooth skin, and her fragrance…Besides, I was kind of sleepy… having late-night work not really meant for me… And from what I know, kissing on the forehead girls you love gives you a snap out of drowsiness… Oh well…

---------------------------

The school hours passed by without noticing how time flew… Then again I was just so sleepy the fact that probably without knowing it, I fell into some slumber… and maybe that was the reason why the academic periods were so quick… I did sometimes feel a sensation of little bits of paper being thrown towards my head and mumbled curses in the familiar voices of Tsujiai behind my seat. Anyhow, the teachers were sort of lenient over me. Hell. Of course they have too. I do manage to get my grades high, and they certainly know I'm part of the baseball league…

By the time it reached fourth period just before lunch, the class went to the school fields to have a game of soccer; again, a boring time for me because I had the 'privilege' not to attend P.E. Tsch. It was more like of your coaches abducting you from having fun; having the excuse you might get injuries and bullshit like that. I think Tsujiai pretty felt the same way, as he was the captain of the Tennis Varsity and Club. So while all the others were having an entertaining time running on the fields, bathed with the warmth of the sun, the two of us and some others sat or laid on the stone benches either sulking or enjoying the passive state. Well, at least for Tsujiai and me, we sure did feel sulky. In response, we just brought our notebooks for studying, just in case we were reduced to studying because of the most probable boredom we would encounter on the benches.

Still, as the moment was obviously casual boredom, I noticed immediately as I glanced at Tsujiai there was something brooding inside that head of his. It was just that he looked plastically deep in thought reading that notebook he was holding that disguised what different thoughts actually loomed inside his mind,

"You okay, man?" I patted on his back,

"Yeah… yeah… Shiznit, dude." He put away my hand,

"What's the big deal? You were just alright a while ago."

"It's nothing."

Tsujiai didn't respond to my question, instead, he just said it was nothing. Yeah. As if.

"You're obviously hiding something, you know…" I told him,

He sighed sardonically, "The thing is," He stood up as he discreetly watched his wristwatch, "It's always been like that… People say I've been always hiding something from them. Blah, blah, blah… And I just leave them blabbering about it, even you…"

"God, Tsujiai!" I wondered what happened to the twisted little boy? I followed him hurriedly grabbing my book, "Where are you going?"

He sniggered bitterly, "You could tell if something's wrong with me but you couldn't notice P.E. period is over. Ironic huh?"

"Dude, I'm just worried about you, man," I explained, as I took a side-glance of the class separated in groups going to the locker rooms, and the spiteful coach whistling and shouting alternately as he shooed away his students to dress up…

"Don't be, Kaji." He dismissed my concern for him, as always the typical Tsujiai would.

"Come on! Just spill the goddamned problem,"

"I won't tell you, but it's up to you if you want to know about it," he replied calmly, with those icy eyes examining the field…

I've known Tsujiai and Tsujiai have known me longer than anyone else. For both of us, most of the time it was just the matter of glancing at one's face and one would immediately understand what the other's feeling was. In the flow of time we grew together, somewhere in the middle of the time we knew each other he grew to be quite cynical and sharp-eyed, with those piercing eyes and the strong accent of his frowning-like eyebrows, it was understandably hard to approach Tsujiai for people who barely knew him. The funny thing was if you knew him better than acquaintances, you'd realize those thought-to-be strong characteristics of his were actually also his weaknesses for emotions.

So of course, as a common strategy for him, you'd just look at his eye in his most troubled state, and there you go, automatically the answer just shouts in the form of his frosty glare. I let out a little laugh. Most people think at first glance Tsujiai's the mysterious type of dude, well, he was the exact opposite extreme… if you know him very well that is.

"What're you even laughing about?"

"It's about Nina, isn't it?"

"Hey, how'd ya know?" he asked me outrageously,

"Oh c'mon. If you have a problem, 95 of which would be about Nina," I told him, and just as he open his mouth, I cut him off, "Don't deny, best bud."

There it goes again, his icy stare towards me, and I competed it with mine… After a second or two it finally weakened, and he sighed in usual defeat, "Jeez man… And chicks thought I was mysteriously sexy."

"Pity what they thought wasn't really true."

I received a friendly jab from my olive-haired friend, "Fuck you, Kaji."

I punched him back, "Don't fuck me, fuck Nina. Maybe that's why you're having problems with Nina, man. I know already! She must think you're gay."

"For the love of God! Why don't you help me, idiot."

"Tsk tsk," I replied, "I just did, you know. If I know Tsujiai, you really won't listen to me if you were in the dumps just like a while ago. You really need to spice up the moment. I think that's just what I did." He didn't seem to plan another counter, I laughed again, looking at his out-of-character I-feel-so-clumsy look. Finally, I said, "Just spill."

"Fine, fine, fine…" said Tsujiai in a whitewashed tone, an he sighed, "It isn't like me, but even if I do whatever I could to avoid it, I get jealous…"

"Of Yuta?"

He briefly fixed his eyes on me, and he nodded, "Yeah." We knew the morning met noon when the sun glared upon the ground, and trees' shadows displaced ours, "I wonder how Yuta keeps Nina's attention towards him. Sometimes I wish I could be a witch just to make her notice me,"

"Can't you just see with your pair of eyes she notices you?"

"But not the way she notices Yuta, Kaji…"

"Tsujiai, you don't compare yourself to another. You'll never find a way to make yourself a better person if you keep on blaming the things Yuta has that you don't have," I replied in strength, trying to make my words be screwed on that stubborn head of his.

"I know! But he's a freaking witch. He can do things I can't do. Wouldn't that impress Nina?"

"Look, Nina's a witch and she actually wants to be a normal human. Wouldn't that sound a bit contradictory to what you've said. If witches can do anything, why does she want to be normal, huh?" I responded without any pause, "Sure they may have powers, but true we also have them that they don't have."

"If so," Tsujiai started, "why don't you name me one," he challenged me,

"You just have to find it in yourself, dude. I believe each individual contains a unique power absolutely different from one another,"

He made a 'tsch' sound and it was the gesture that he didn't want to talk about it already. We heard a faint tattling of shoe soles running towards our location, "Hey, Kaji! Tsuji!" A guy's voice shouted. "Don't you know the word called wait?"

"Komai, we were just a few meters away. Surely you could see us from the field, ya know. We got hungry so we just got some brunch in the cafeteria."

Our friend known as Komai had long messy raven hair, and had a scruffy look you'll not fail to discern. He had a piercing of a dragon's head on his left ear, and he wore his polo unbuttoned, his pants kind of old already, as well as his tie. "We're tired, I couldn't run." He plays the lead guitar.

"You just did." Tsujiai told him, with a faint smile,

"Guys!" Two other men bellowed. Without thought, they were Jiro and Yamato.

"Lookie here. The losers." Komai taunted, "Our team won. The game was 4-2."

"Don't fuss about that. We won last week by six points. You guys suck." Jiro replied with equal taunting. Yamato was shaking his head just like Tsujiai and me. Since Jiro, Komai and Yama got into our little group, it got a little noisier then.

Jiro was the tallest among us, saffron-haired troublemaker. He's most popularly known as _Hot Hands_, derived from his being a drummer. He was the least of the serious thinker, but most of the time he cheers up the group when everybody's in the stinks. Yamato then was rather opposite of Jiro. Vertically challenged though, and a straight A student, he wasn't known as the nerd, but the cool geek. Yamato was a brunette just like me, and he had rectangular glasses. He really doesn't talk that much though, although he thinks absolutely great. There was once the soccer team got to the final round of the interschool championship, he was the brains of the team, and certainly if he was— well —let's just say the opposition don't have a bit of a chance anymore. Other than that, he plays the piano freaking well. I really wonder how he excels in so many things.

Tsujiai, Jiro, Komai, Yamato and I got together since just last year. I suppose there happened to be a school festival in Eyobashi, and there were a few slots for band playing. I had nice vocals, and Tsujiai was pretty good with the bass guitar, but I'm pretty sure the program staff wouldn't let in a two-man band of vox and bass. It was a nice coincidence when Tsujiai and me had dinner after at a diner, and Jiro, Komai and Yamato were playing an instrumental piece together at the stage. The next thing we knew we called ourselves _Connect the Dots_ and got into an audition for the concert. We did made it, and played last year.

My thoughts cut off as I hear Jiro's booming voice, "Too bad you weren't able to join the game," Jiro told me and Tsujiai,

"Try getting off with the baseball and tennis team, you probably can play afterwards," Yamato joked,

"Hell no." Tsujiai and I said in unison, and Yamato smirked. Sometimes I gave me a bit of confusion why would Yamato quit the soccer team. He could almost be captain back then, if he would just continue. You never know what goes inside that head of his most of the time.

"God, I'm starving man." Komai said,

"Cafeteria?" Jiro suggested,

"Yeah…" Komai replied, and Yamato actually approved too.

"We're kind of starving too." Said Tsujiai,

"What? I thought you and Kaji just ate?"

"Oh yeah! Yeah!" I faked a laugh, nudging Tsujiai at the elbow. I wished I could say how careless he was sometimes. "We'll just follow you guys around eating. Wooh, we're so full already. "Stupid," I mumbled behind Tsujiai's ear, he seemed to twitch in rage at me… He never liked that word being pointed on him, "Just tell me later when privacy's settled,"

It's not like as if we're hiding something from the group, but Tsujiai and I thought it would be a lot better as to not complicate things, if we'd keep the Nina-Tsuji issue away from them. In terms of me and Ayu, well, they perfectly know about that already…

As usual, the cafeteria line was not really that long, since almost everybody bring extra bentos at school, or even share them with a couple of friends. Even I do, most hilariously, Jiro does. And I promise you he'll never look good with his petite lavender colored bento. The five of us passed by the greenhouse area of the school. It was a very popular hangout for err…girls. I do not know why, but yeah, they like hanging out here.

Even Ayu and Nina.

It was kind of expected we'd catch them here beside the greenhouse, and a bit amazed at Tsujiai for having the guts to face Nina at depressed times like this.

"Hey guys!" Nina called out to all of us. Her loudness of voice made us attentive immediately of their presence.

"Hi," Ayu greeted us with a lot more finesse than Nina did, "Did you guys eat already?" she asked us, and of course Yamato, Jiro and Komai shook their heads,

"We haven't yet, kind of dying since P.E. just finished," told Jiro to Ayu and Nina,

"Same here," Nina said again, standing up looking all perky with her jingling hair, "Want to get some grub?"

"Yeah," Yamato, Jiro and Komai said in unison. Tsujiai and I then couldn't help smirking at how Nina enchants some 'human' magic unto them.

"I think I'll just stay here with Kaji. Right, Kaji?"

"Yeah," I smiled at Ayu,

Ayu looked at Tsujiai for a moment, and I was smirking again… I teamed up with Ayu then, looking at him with this teasing why-don't-you-get-Nina-now-while-you-leave-us-alone-please look.

Tsujiai sighed, "Fine, fine… Shall I leave you two lovebirds alone, huh?"

Yeah, most women would blush after that… but its different with Ayu. She never blushes; she turns white, like a heavy dab of powder put on her face. It's a lot more disgusting, but hey, you'd always find it funny and different.

"How are you?" I asked her, "Felt anything better, Ayu-kun?"

The brunette nodded, "Yep. A lot, all because of you."

"Haven't you realized yet most of the time it's always been like that?" I told her in a casual tone,

She raised her brows, "I think it's getting windier by the moment."

"Hey, thank God for the wind. It's kinda hot here in the open grounds, you know." I smirked, and she chuckled for a while

"So what was Nina saying just before classes started?" I made the onset of the 'real' conversation, casually sitting beside her… Tsujiai had already left with the others. Considerably, we did not attain complete privacy then, as the tiny buzzes of people, girls most of them, were present…

She smiled, a hint of nervousness spotted figuratively between her teeth. Her eyes glimmered in the golden sun, and I was prepared to listen…

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A/N – How was the O.C. introductions? I felt it was ugly. Well, anyway, I hope it's okay. Please REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! So I wont have a hard time getting my spirits up in writing my shit. Flames or Praises or Constructive Criticism is fine with me as long as you REVIEW! THANKS A LOT, CAMELOT. SEE YA LATER, ALLIGATER. BYEBYE, AMERICAN-PIE, HAHAHA! SORRY FOR MY CORNINESS.


	5. Did You Say Yes?

Trickle

Ultra Maniac

By Whimsical Gentleman

A/N – Happy New Year People!! It's the start of 2007. Hehehe… another year for us to play with life. Hehehe!!

Okay, back to Ayu Tateishi's POV. How I love using first person! It's kinda hard though… has the cursed advantage of not being able to write about the whole scene in general, but only a single person's view. Sigh… anyway, I kinda suck at 3rd person. Haha!!

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Chapter V

Did You Say Yes?

"Well?" Kaji asked me, I appreciated the fact he wasn't kind of excited when I tell them some updates or something, unlike his group. Connect the Dots was a gang with cool guys, hot guys rather. I wonder how they could be cool and hot at the same time. Aren't they polar opposites? Well, anyway, they were hot-cool dudes, but that's just the general misunderstood image resulted by their fangirl clubs in Eyobashi. I've known them a lot. They're a bunch of idiots, some of them are smart though… Haha… That's Yamato… There is still Kaji and Tsujiai (if you consider average grades and an acceptable amount of common sense). Still, with Komai and Jiro around, they were a bunch of idiots, no matter how smart they're going to get.

I've known them a lot, pretty much. Well anyway, I've got a boyfriend coming from their group, so it would look like they were four older brothers to me. I chuckled,

"Uhm, Ayu, I thought you were going to tell me something?"

"Oh! Yeah!" I replied, getting back to reality, and chuckled some more, "Remember last night?" I asked him, giving him a couple of seconds to recollect, "A woman in good clothes happened to drop by Mimi's,"

"Yeah, it's hard to forget that woman, she's hot." I pursed my lips, threatening him with a glare I rarely use,

"Sad to say she's like over thirties, and also married."

"Over thirty?!"

"Yep." I laughed at his expression; he looked as if an asteroid crushed him. For a second I liked the way how I just made him sad. That's what he gets for checking out other women other than me! Oh my god. How evil.

"She doesn't look like it," he told me, shaking his head in disbelief, "Wait, how do you know she's about thirties, and married?"

"Remember when Mrs. Chujo called you for an errand?" He nodded, "Well, the moment I was alone, she just went beside me and asked if she could sit with me," I blushed as a reflex… it just came to thought about what she said at first… something about Kaji and mushy crap like that… "She was amazing, she knew right away I attended a funeral—"

"That was kind of obvious, you were wearing all black after all,"

"No, no… She said I attended a funeral of a family member, and she even predicted right about what I feel for you, and how you came into the picture with me being— for a lack of a better word —problematic."

Kaji creased his brows, "So what're you trying to say?"

"I was kind of shocked, like freaked out because she didn't even know me, and she guessed it right on the spot, as if she was telepathic or something."

"Well, maybe she is."

I raised my eyebrows, "Riiiiiight, Kaji," I caught some dudes staring at us two lovebirds supposedly talking about honey-coated topics just like a sweet, young couple would do… Anyway, I ignored them. Maybe Tsujiai and Yamato were only the smart idiots, as I should say. Hearing what Kaji said, I'm kind of convinced he goes with Komai and Jiro.

"So what is she then?"

"As much as it would surprise you, it turns out she was a president of a modeling agency." I chuckled at my own remark, "And she told me she got all her so-correct answers in my eyes… She told me the fact that I loved you since you were the only one who could appease me from something like my mom's death was screaming in my eyes… something concretely expressive about me, she told me in sort of a calm manner, with nothing but a beautiful thin grin."

I could tell from his naked smirk that he didn't hear anything except that I loved him because he was the only one who could make me feel something like love. I made a _tsch_ sound, while blushing a bit… If we weren't really surrounded with girls with hawk-like observation on both of us, we could have kissed or something… "I kind of regretted not joining Nina's group," I sidelined a statement,

Kaji sighed, "Who cares, you're sweet," he kissed me on the cheek lightly, just a tender peck, but a terribly affectionate one only Kaji could dare to pull off,

"Don't do it here!" I hissed, "Do you have any idea what consequences would happen later, if supposing some girl hated your guts kissing a girl in front of another girl totally obsessed with you?" I hoped no one saw what happened, especially we were beside the glasshouse girls loved to hang out at. I hope they won't butcher me if they did see,

"Oh puhleesh. Don't be like that… You're my girlfriend after all, so I have the right," he stuck his tongue out his lips,

My cheeks grew crimson as I heard that… I never really was accustomed with him calling me his girlfriend… True it may seem, I referred to ourselves as close friends. The funny thing was when he calls me his girl, there would be this nice and nagging feeling I liked it. "So anyway, back to what I was saying before I was romantically and _rudely_ interrupted—"

"Hey, how come romantically isn't italicized!" Kaji complained, a mock puppy pout

I started to scream in cute childish annoyance "Can you please listen to me, and not read Mr. Whimsical Gentleman's script?"

(Whimsical Gentleman: Haha… just for little fun)

I finally sighed, when Kaji seemed to be a bit more decent to me, "We had a nice conversation, and it returned to how she admires how I bring myself. Well, she asked me to model for her."

"Care to tell her name?" Kaji asked me in mild curiosity, fixing his collar,

I thought for a while, "Well, she preferred to be called as S.K.—"

"Seki Kawakami?! Of Aira Modeling?"

"Yeah!" I was taken aback, "How'd you know?" I asked in a playfully suspicious manner. And I thought the whole population of people with dangling stuff in between their legs isn't aware of modeling. Great. My boyfriend's an idiot… and gay. It's amazing how Connect the Dots only comprised of five people only, but had the weirdest assortment of friends there is.

He seemed to notice my slight shock, "No, don't think like that." I laughed a bit, "There's always magazines left on the floor of our house, I pick them up and fix them, and can't help but read what's inside of—"

"Porn," I sighed,

"LYING ON THE FLOOR OF THE LIVING ROOM CONSPICOUSLY?" He asked me, "WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY PARENTS? SEX MANIACS?

I laughed, "Hey, calm down, I'm just trying to make this whole tease-thing even," Catching the other girls again glaring at us as we enjoyed ourselves,

"Yo, but you must be pulling my leg. Seki Kawakami?"

"Yup." I answered him with a nod, trying to visualize the unbelievably young-looking middle-aged woman. She certainly knew how to make herself eye-candy, though she was considered already someone old. I thought of Madonna, and mentally laughed… at least S.K. wasn't over forty years old, and didn't drop by in Mimi's Lockett in a hot pink spandex, or something a stripper would have worn,

"How come I didn't realize who she was?" Kaji said, not addressing to someone in particular, "She's way too hot for people to forget,"

If he had not said his last sentence his face would have been spared from another grave punch,

"Make-up?" I thought of as suggestion. "Some celebrities actually do that; applying make-up in a manner they'd look ugly, or normal-looking, whatever the term is."

"Well, she managed to disguise herself, and she still looked scorching—"

"One mention of that three-letter word again,"

Kaji sniggered in an impish means. I sighed loudly, "So yeah, she asked you to do her a favor and join Aira?" Kaji asked me,

I nodded, my face back to its own calm mode,

"Well?" He started, fixing his collar again, "Did you accept her offer?" I shook my head to say I didn't take S.K.'s offer, "Why?" Kaji asked me then, a bit curious than surprised,

"I don't know, to tell you the truth…" Sighing, as I observed the big clock engraved on one of the brick buildings of the school, "I thought I wasn't ready for that…"

"You could get bucks, you know." Kaji told me, "Girls die for S.K. to approve of them,"

"Well, I'm a girl too, and I really don't want the job," I told him, "Unless I'm a boy…" I laughed a bit, "Which means your gay, having a boy as a girlfriend,"

"Whatever," he replied with a tired sigh, "Seriously, why? Take it seriously, it was after all S.K. who gave you the offer, the one and only president of Aira,"

_She even tailed me around, according to herself…_

"That's it. I really don't know… Besides, I have a lot to take care of more important than modeling, if ever I even had thought joining,"

"Like what?" Kaji raised an eyebrow, his face mildly skeptic,

"You know what they are, Kaji."

The tall brunette shrugged in response. A silence visited us, strangely there were no more buzzing sounds and the crowd was dissolving, "What was Nina's say to this? I suppose you already told her?"

I laughed nervously. It was pretty funny, the encounter I got with Nina just this morning… Since Nina was farther than my house in terms of the distance to Eyobashi, she walks to my house first and always waited for me to go outside, and take the walk to school together with me in the morning. And that was a requirement of each day; simply a habit we never failed to do… considering it was one of the most relieving parts of every day.

_I walked sullenly, carrying my bookbag saddled on my left shoulder. This was always the route I take when going to school. And I wonder why it felt a whole lot different this morning. Somehow I would always feel a lot cheery and happy strolling along the side streets, back before a lot of crap started,_

_I smirked when I finally realized it was because there was no Nina to wait at the doorstep of my residence early in the morning. If Nina waited for me, I would have been walking to school with her… Maybe it would have been a bright morning after all…_

_I sighed._

_Must have been because I was down and shitty all the time with a table-turning frown she never got to be accustomed with, I suppose. Come to think of it, Nina had always been with an Ayu Tateishi who was as chirpy as her, not as perky as her, but at least perky. If in a bad mood, I would just have a quick streak of curses, maybe if I were annoyed or agitated by something comically trivial. _

_But for sure my blonde best friend had never seen an Ayu Tateishi with a disheartened face, eyes that were dry and yellowish in a way, eye bags that bulge under my eyes… And you'll just know it when you just look at me, you'll just hear it somehow, as if a ghost of myself was yelling behind your ears, "Fuck you, don't look at me nor speak to me. I'm already dead by heart, so please just leave this walking, breathing corpse alone." _

_I shrugged in slight disapproval of my own thoughts. Maybe I was a little too exaggerated._

_I passed by the town park, only a few walking by as it had always been. I spotted this lamppost though, and a teenage girl behind it in a position I couldn't see her very well. All I know was that she was holding a starbucks cup in a more or less dainty way. I stared at her, and after a few seconds she peeked at me, and suddenly hid behind the pole again realizing I was staring at her. Observably, she made a futile attempt on spying on me_

_Before I knew it, I was laughing softly. The blonde hair fashioned into a ponytail did it, "Nina, you look like an idiot hiding behind that you know." _

_She showed herself with a sweat drop anime-style. As always, she had her hair done in a messy pony tail either with her pig hair-clip, or one of her little magic spells she could pull off with her powers… _

_She had been stubborn with going back to Eltoria for a long time now. Occasionally, her grandfather would suddenly come to school, showing himself suddenly by popping out of a wormhole along the corridors and grabbing along Nina back to Eltoria. What was funny was that the old man always takes a wrong girl instead of Nina. Although the cranky curmudgeon her grandfather was, he was unbelievably kind enough not to bring back my witch best friend home. That's what I mostly appreciate about him… as also curse him for doing so…_

…_because the silly girl always make a lot of mess here in Earth… to be honest._

_Nina mocked a laugh as she showed herself, scratching her head with her left hand, and her right hand behind her… Needless to say, she was hiding something from me. How clumsy Nina was… _

"_What's that behind you?" I casually asked her, peeking trying to see what she was holding,_

"_Oh!" she cheered, attempting to fumble the thing in her butt pocket, ending up clumsily letting the thing fall, "Oooops,"_

_I sweat dropped, "Oh come on, is it broken or something?" I finally ran towards her, and picked up the little thing. It was a steel thermometer, with an arrow placed on the tip… It was an object she made by magic, "What the hell is this?"_

"_It's nothing," she sighed and retrieved the weird object she just dropped,_

"_You were pointing it at me. I saw you, Nina," I accused her, trying to get back the thing she made, "C'mon, what does it do?" _

"_Nothing important!" she shouted, a few heads already turning at our direction… I didn't mind though if they thought why were there two girls in the middle of the street fighting over some weird-looking thermometer. _

"_Come on!"_

"_NoooO!!!" She persisted, already running away from me_

"_Fine!" I screamed, making sure she would hear what I was saying, "Maybe I'll just tell something juicy to Tsujiai-kun or to Yuta-kun when I might pass by those guys!"_

_She was like a leopard running back to me. I sweat dropped again, "Evil best friend…" she muttered,_

_I laughed with an impish grin, "Go on, and tell me what that is." I got the thermometer and eyeballed it,_

"_Duh, it's a thermometer,"_

"_Maybe I should be just calling Tsujiai or Yuta on my mobile phone?" I suggested with a thoughtful smile, inching my hand on my sidepocket,_

"_Okay! Okay!" She gave up with a heave of a sigh, "It's a magical thermometer!" _

_Duh… everything weird Nina owns was made by her own magic, except her flying scooter,_

"_That?"_

"_It measures a person's depression point if you aim the laser to one's forehead,"_

"_Laser?" I curiously asked, looking at the thermometer like a scientist' specimen,_

_She had a frown on her face, "Yup, it emits at the tip of the arrow. Humans can't see it though, only witches and wizards can."_

"_Oh…" I said, "So why were you using it on me, huh?" I interrogated her in a suspicious voice, _

_Nina sighed, "I'm sorry, I just want to know if you were already fine. I'm worried about you, heck, everyone's worried." She explained, "You must be thinking it must be annoying since probably it's been repeated like about 100000000000000000000 times already that a lot are worried about you," she continued in a smile, "But can you just please do us a favor and cheer up? You're like bringing the whole world down in the dumps with you. We might even end up having heart failures with all the worry we make just because of you…"_

_I smiled and faintly blushed. And who told them to worry about me? _

_I just realized no one did… it's just because they care so much about me…_

"_Thanks a lot, Nina." I painted a smile wide on my face,_

_She instantly glowed, got the thermometer from me, and skillfully threw it to one of the trash bins near us, "I guess I just wasted time making the stupid thermometer,"_

"_You sure did,"_

"_To tell you the truth, it wasn't even working properly. Hahaha"_

_I swear-dropped, and laughed along with her._

"_So, who helped you with all the crap? We couldn't find you yesterday. Kaji said though you were perfectly fine, although I couldn't help but think where were you and if you were okay. I wanted to find you too, but Kaji told me to leave you alone…"_

"_Who helped?" I asked myself, "It was Kaji himself, actually…" _

"_Oh."_

"_I spent the night with him,"_

"_WHAT?"_

"_No! No!" I said quickly, "I spent the night with him in Mimi's Locket!"_

"_You guys did it in a public place! Holy cow!"_

"_Idiot," I mumbled to myself, "No, I spent the night talking to him… He told me to drop by to Mimi's Locket if I could. He gave me free food, and we just talked. It seemed I felt a whole lot better talking to him, to tell you the truth," _

"_But that's always been the case, right?"_

_HOW COME EVERYONE'S SAYING KAJI'S ALWAYS THE ONE HELPING ME OUT_

_I spoke no comment to her, "Anyway, there's a lot more…"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Kaji went away for an errand, you see. And then suddenly a woman caught my attention and told me a lot about what I was feeling at that moment… She was like a gypsy or something, I don't know… Kaji told me when we were still talking, and when the woman came down the stairs it was the first time he saw the woman. A middle-aged woman that looked more or less in her fun 20's."_

"_Wow. She must have a hard time trying to keep herself that young-looking. Makes you get the idea she's a model."_

"_She is." I said immediately, cutting her sentence short, "Well— technically, no… But she is a president of a modeling company."_

"_So what happened?"_

"_I won't beat around the bush… She actually asked me to be a model of Aira."_

"_Aira?" she asked me, "What's that?"_

"_Uhm, I don't know it that much too, sorry." She sweat-dropped, "But I do know the woman owns Aira… it's an agency for models… and I heard the models in Aira were always top in their business…"_

"_Wait, who is the woman then?"_

_I remembered the beautiful lady, "Seki Kawakami… more known as S.K." I said, a bit of admiration in my voice, "The president personally asked me to be in her project… that's the most amazing thing!" _

"_She asked you herself?"_

"_I already told you that." I curved an eyebrow, automatically assuming Nina wasn't listening very well… the typical girl,_

"_Oh yeah," she forced a laugh, "But seriously, she asked you? Wow!! What a great opportunity, you did say yes, right?" It was obvious she had her high hopes I accepted S.K.'s offer,_

_I looked downwards, trying to think of a way to say 'No, I didn't accept her offer' and not making Nina crazy, or if worse comes to worst, choke me in the end because of my refusal to S.K. "Uhmm— I kind of refused it,"_

"_HOLY COW, YOU REFUSED IT? ARE YOU CRAZY? GIRLS ARE DYING FOR THAT KIND OF OPPURUNITY, AND NICE, YOU JUST HAVE TO THROW IT AWAY!"_

_Oh no… oh no… It wasn't a good scenery to watch Nina in deep frustration something that wasn't even exactly her personal business. I panicked all of Nina's shouting might turn some heads, "Wait, wait, don't scream! I did not exactly refuse it, Nina."_

_It was a miracle out of all the clutter she made she managed to hear me, "Oh." She fluttered her eyelids in utmost innocence,_

_I decided then to show her Seki's business card I put on my wallet last night when she finally left me, "Here," I sighed, "S.K. told me when she was about to leave to call her if I made up my mind."_

_Nina examined it, "You better do," she told me with a dangerous wink. I sweat-dropped in the process then, _

_And then the thought was surprisingly automatic. Nina was right, which was— mind you— kind of rare. I better do make up my mind. It came to me I don't even know if I had a mind these days… Things seemed to rush in and out, twist, roll, and dash on loops at present. It made a bitter grin be plastered on my face in deep thought. Sometimes, it was ironic how Nina could know things she never even have faced in life, or maybe she did and she just didn't want to tell me? _

_I laughed, as I saw the naïve girl hopping to move instead of walking, "What are you laughing 'bout?"_

_I shook my head in disagreement with a little smile, "No, no… It's nothing." _

Kaji ceased laughing then, "Nina— how strange…"

I just nodded, wasn't that obvious?

"I never really understood much about her since I've met her, although I really want to,"

"That's because you have to be a girl to understand someone like her, unless you want to be a girl... even though the fact is, you're a guy." I said casually,

"Oh," he said simply and then after a few minutes, "Hey! What did you just mean by that?" He clenched a fist, but I was already running. "Darn you Ayu, I treated you last night you know! Don't escape from me!"

"I'm not escaping, Kaji-kun, the bell's ringing!" And then it was like solid hitting me how a bell could be an effective savior in campus.


	6. A Long Day's End

Trickle

Ultra Maniac

Whimsical Gentleman

A/N – Wow. It's like three in the morning and I'm still awake willing to afford his time on crappy stories such as this. Well, anyway, I just got from Eastwood… some party place here in Manila… God. Okay, maybe I'm a bit sober right now but hey, I actually get nice works when I'm kind of drunk though:P We watched Eragon and it fucking sucked. Arghhh.

Ice Doll – Hey thanks for the compliment! Hehee, you also did a fair job in your stories too. I return the favor.

Urei Sachi – Hahahaha!! Consider it something I really wanted to emphasize… the irreplaceable moments of high school joy! And I'm enjoying every piece of it right now, I assure you.

Imai – Arghh… review!! Sige na, para dumagdag naman number of reviews ko!

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Chapter VI

A Long Day's End

"So? Did you have a fair talk with Kaji?" Nina asked me dismissively, giving me that childish grin again,

Most of the time I was one of the last people who'd enter the classroom after the breaks, most of the time with Nina… and everybody knew we had 'reservations' for two armchairs nearest to the wall that had always been so convenient since teachers never really notice even how disruptive you could get,

"As if you didn't have a fair talk with Tsujiai," I mumbled and sat beside Nina's chair,

"How could I? I was mobbed by the Con D. excluding Kaji…"

I smirked as I heard her say Con. D. The name was pretty something like a petty name for the group. Honestly, it made Kaji's group sound like some cheesy boy band. Well, I don't know about the others. Most of the girls, including Nina, liked the sound of it… and everybody started to call them that, and sooner or later Con D. got stuck in their system, no possible method to destroy the habbit.

Nina continued, sighing. The teacher had already started his lecture something like eight minutes ago, and Nina had kept blabbering without care. I didn't need a brain like Pythagoras to know she felt cheery "It was like Komai or Jiro would like steal my chances, and Tsujiai ended up having conversation with the darn Yama. God. What a pain in the neck those two assholes are."

I had the obvious suggestion she referred the two assholes as Komai and Jiro. I laughed. Anyway, most refer them as the assholes… and yes… surprising as it sounds, popular notion was correct this time— something 'hardly ever' here in Eyobashi. "Yeah, and I suppose you enjoy being the rope in a game of tug-of-war?"

She was quite silent, and I grinned at my embarrassed friend. No matter how childish she would get, she always had the naughty liking of being fought for… "Lecture's already started, Ayu," said Nina as an obvious excuse,

"Lecture Shmecture." It wasn't in my plan this time to slip the chance of knowing about what happened with Nina and Tsujiai…

"Sakura! Tateishi!" the teacher called out our names so suddenly we jerked and stood up, "If you don't shut those mouths of yours you might end up sunbathing in the sandbox outside in the field," Some laid pitiful eyes on us, other fuckers just laughed at our embarrassment… "As for now, you can stay out of this classroom until you girls settle that topic of yours."

"Yes sir." I replied in affirmative. Nina didn't. I cast a smirking side glance on her, and she sighed in defeat. It's just that it's merely a fortunate day for me, Nina had just to accept that. Both of us walked outside of the classroom, and stayed beside the wall of the hallway. It was dead quiet… even the teachers' voices or the students' weren't heard from outside of their rooms "Better, huh? Peace and quiet… we don't get to have this nowadays."

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I'd rather punish myself under the glaring sun that talk to her right now. And now I complain as if I have the freedom to choose options.

"Seriously, you didn't talk to him the whole time?" her voice resumed, "Sensei should expect we're going to be outside pretty long. He did say we'd go in only if these mouths of ours are sealed,

Ayu's face was flushed with a twisted grin that said Lady Luck was on her side, talk about lowly victory grandly smothered on her face. I sighed heavily, "Well— no— We did talk..."

"What about?" she asked me instantly,

"Oh," I thought hard. Even I have not answered that question yet: What did Tsujiai and I talk about? "Err— Uhm— a little bit of this and that,

Ayu sniggered, "In his language that meant if you could—"

"Give him some updates about Yuta and me? Would that finish your sentence?"

She looked a bit of surprised. I knew what she stereotyped with me was a naïve girl with nothing to do but make trouble with my irresponsibility. I guess she was wrong. And maybe she was right. I may be dense but note to self: Ayu's no denser than I am

Maybe Tsujiai was just so obvious… I wonder why he never made a step or a chance to make flirting with me. If Tsujiai had Kaji's attitude towards Ayu it would have been damn easier. However, the fact that he was just always there right beside me, waiting for me fall so he could catch me was always so convincible for me to be attracted with him. The thing is, even though how dreadfully clumsy I am, I never fall— or at least fall really hard.

Sometimes, figuratively, Tsujiai wished we were in the Grand Canyon together, and he'd push me of the cliff so I would fall big time. And then he'd idealistically grow wings and save me from my fictional plight.

And then comes the notorious Yuta, hand by hand with notoriety himself. It was hard to admit, but he was the honored the top student of his batch in the Magical School of Eltoria. He was so good in his academics and was already a master of advance magic he even got to the extent of not needing any further education. And that's exactly the reason why he decided to bum around and be a cockroach or a rat (whichever is worse) in my life here on Earth, most especially in my house because my crazy grandfather actually personally asked my parents to let him stay at our household.

The most annoying part of my demented grandfather's habit was that he had the guts to compromise with Yuta going inside my bedroom unauthorized of my word and scolding me about really nice guys (perfectly opposite of Yuta) trying to at least get some affection from me. Sadly, since their first trials, my grandfather never stopped jinxing them with pimples, unwanted fat, and karma-defying bad luck.

To mention a funny miracle, well— Tsujiai was different to grandpa's eyes. He never jinxed the frigid-eyed lad, nor made funny things out of his olive hair. And I know very well Tsujiai perfectly knew my grandpa was lenient to him… so it really puzzled me a lot not to see him doing anything…

"So, did you tell him about that?"

Ayu and I were lone figures along the corridor. There were muffled voices inside our classroom. I just shrugged, "Obviously— no."

My best friend looked outraged, like she saw a seventy-year-old woman reciting poetry naked while chocolate syrup was being poured on her, "Why?"

I just laughed in reply, "C'mon. I think we're more than ready to go in." I opened the door and waltzed to my seat. Ayu didn't dare call my name then, otherwise we might get probably more than detention.

Her eyes told me how quizzical she was, and even to me, it was personally quite boggling to think that I had the idea of hiding those little details of Yuta courting me absolutely all to myself. Somehow, I knew that would keep life a bit simpler. I shook my head to imaginatively shake off my thoughts out of my ears, as I focused my mind on the board.

Maybe that's possibly the reason why I'm not doing well with my tests— Maybe if I could just use my magic to lock up all these guys, I could have aced all these damned lectures the teacher had been throwing at us…

--------------------

School hours always came to pass before you really notice it. Maybe you'd just face the teacher or the blackboard with a blank face and you're really not listening, or you'd fiddle your ballpen in every way possible… sometimes you could even catch yourself playing with the fat in your legs— that is, if you have fat in your legs. It's already your issue.

The bell rang finally, and almost everyone automatically fixed their bags, the next thing you see everyone's flooding out of the classroom, one half of the class in long faces since they were victims of red-inked circles in the pop quiz— one of them was me— of course. I waited for Ayu outside again, who was relatively full of herself since she was one of the few who passed the test, some topic about Russians and lengthy, confusing Russian names. "You have plans?" Ayu asked me,

"Yeah, I have tutoring sessions ten minutes after now. Sorry, got to rush, I just remembered in such short notice." I already turned back and started to sprint to my tutor's room, when I suddenly said— "You're going to tennis practice?"

"Yup." Replied Ayu with a knowing smile,

"Okay, see 'ya!" I dashed away, somehow, she asked why was I asking, but I was already too far to reply. I felt possessed a second ago, almost in the verge of asking Ayu if Tsujiai will be there… but then I already left. Maybe my feet simply disagreed to the choice that I should get back there and ask go along with Ayu.

----------------------

Gosh.

I just got out of the girls' shower room, somewhat in between the climax of exhilaration and weariness. It was already eight, dinnertime just two days ago— I really wasn't in the mood to go home this time or earlier. Well— just in two days, I could honestly say to myself everything got a bit different. I actually got surprised a while ago, when I stepped in the court, everybody offered me their condolences, even Tsujiai and the boys' team. For a lack of a better word, I thanked them out of a mixture of flattery and their concern for my mom's respects. After that, the girls naturally tried to talk their way to the damn topic about my mom… Paying respects was enough—

I really didn't want to talk about it yet.

Nevertheless, today's training was great. When it was playtime everybody got serious… even me, despite all the surrounding events that currently disturbed me so much. Treadmills, some footwork exercises… I just realized how good the girls' team was. Unfortunately, we still lost to Tsujiai's group, who again, was in grins again. I dressed up, the shower room filled with hot steam and a never-ending echo of giggles and guys' names.

Before I went out, two other girls, Asahi and Ikimi, bid me goodbye, "Good night, cap, take care!" they said in unison, with a dash of sensitivity about my loss. I smiled, "Nice training, girls."

I had my black sports-sack hung on my right shoulder, and my book bag on the other. I was then surprised Tsujiai was there sitting under the tree just beside the crowd, lone, obviously waiting for me. Startled, I walked towards him, "It's getting late, ya know."

Tsujiai chuckled, "I think that line's better off to women such as yourself," he stood up, the way men love to do to brag about their stupid height. "You did well today,"

"Not even close to the 'well' I can really do." I challenged, setting up effort raising my chin to see him directly,

He shrugged, "Hey, sometimes you lose, sometimes you beat me up." He smiled, "C'mon, I better get you home or Kaji might cut my throat," I blushed, as he did a funny antique of his index finger sliding on the surface of his neck. Kaji really asked his friend to get me home,

"Really?" I said, getting crimson again… or rather chalk-white as Kaji would like to say,

Tsujiai sighed, "Yeah, he said he preferred fetching you here himself, but he had part-time at Mimi's right now. He's been pestering me since Economics class about tonight, believe me." He laughed, and I followed him. "Do you want to walk or a cab or something?" he asked me courteously,

"Ahh! Walking would be fine, Tsjujiai."

"You sure? We really never commute together that much, so how about looking at this situation as my treat." I didn't expect Nina to be this lucky having this guy head over heels on her,

"You're already treating me fine, Tsujiai, I'd prefer walking now. It really pays off to talk to you."

"And why?"

I chuckled, "Well? Does Nina call you Hiroki already?" Most people turn pink o slightly red, but Tsujiai turned blue as litmus paper with a base liquid dropped on it, "You don't have to answer it, you know."

"Hence, she really does—" he nodded, looking like he was trying to find an instance of Nina calling him Hiroki, his 'other' name… People kept calling him Tsujiai they actually forgot there was a second name. Well, anyway, only a few people know about it… not even Komai and Jiro knew about that. Kaji really didn't call him that since he thought it was so gay. It was then decided only girls close to Tsujiai was permitted to call him Hiroki then.

And I myself wonder why we even had to exploit the vastness of Tsujiai Hiroki's complications in terms of names. I gave him a smug nod, "That's good enough, Tsujiai, you're not getting a moment Nina called you Hiroki." He sweat dropped, "Hey, don't get gloomy about it. It's just a name, and we tend to forget about your other name, Tsujiai."

"But—"

"And," I cut him off, "Tsujiai sounds better." (A/N – I disagree. Hiroki sounds cooler!)

"Haha." He laughed… "Heard you got some offer for modeling,"

"Kaji told you?"

Those eyes flamed with the mental torture he experienced possibly awhile ago in class, "I think Kaji didn't tell me, he rather— forced it into my ears to a scream— he was like asking if it's even a good turn of events and bullshit like that."

Kaji? Just like that? Tsujiai's pulling my leg, and he's definitely doing a great job at that. I ended up laughing too, but it was kind of short. The next few moments were silent again, and the night just got colder… darker than usual, as the moonlight dimmed because of the gray clouds… and a starless light, we could see…

Like those odd scenes written by Stephen King's pen,

"But—"

"Yeah?" I asked him,

"You know my situation, right? With Yuta and all, Ayu…" He looked a kid in the shadows, with his voice like that,

"Do you want to talk about it?" We stopped our progress, realizing if it were not for our footsteps, the night would be completely mute,

My olive-haired friend nodded, his nod in the context of being embarrassed he got far to the point of asking for help from a friend, though I wasn't saying it was wrong. "

"And to think you were the one who told me I should go home since it's getting late," I sighed,

We continued walking again, "Hey, it isn't as if I need it discussed immediately, you know…" I shrugged to his reply, hiding a smirk in the shade if I had chance,

"Can't you just ask Kaji, or Komai or Jiro, or Yama for advice…?"

"You kidding me? I wouldn't tell it to the group other than Kaji since I'm keeping it… Plus Komai and Jiro would be too much of idiots to understand the situation anyway."

I grinned at that, "Totally… And what about Kaji…?"

"Oh—" he made up this face again for hunting an excuse; "I think he had enough problems already."

"Huh? Problems?"

"Yeah, such as yourself, Ayu."

"Hey!" I said to him with a grin again, and he grinned back. I suppose what he said was true, thinking he'd get into a lot of trouble looking for me… Once again, I blushed— or turned white… We reached already my house, dark and gloomy except for the warm light in the porch. We walked to my doorstep in a faster pace then, "How'd you go home?" I asked him,

"Just going to walk again."

I smiled at him, and gave him a peck, "Thanks for the company, Tsujiai. I hope Nina does that to you— I meant goodnight pecks."

He blushed at that and nodded, parting away, "You better scold Kaji for forcing me to fetch you home!"

I smirked at his last comment and opened the door… turning the lights on in the living room. My sense of smell missed the scent of food in the kitchen, as well as my ears missed her voice calling my name, and my tongue longing to move to reply, that is, if there would be someone to hear my reply.

And then suddenly, I was no more in the mood to do anything but lie on my bed. I felt sick. I checked my answering machine on my way upstairs, and there was no red blinking light, sighing in relief. My sheets felt colder than anything else, I guess… Colder than the sensation of grasping ice cubes. Drowning myself into a cold bed, I thought why I haven't even removed my school uniform.

A long day was over, that was for certain.

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A/N — Okay… for the past few chapters they were excruciatingly slow… but don't fret! Things would fasten up a little bit from now on. :) and I meant the plot… not my updating! Hahahahaha!!!

Next update: It's something to do with a mall, and autograph signing ;) You'll eventually know…


	7. A Sign in a Signing

Trickle

Ultra Maniac

A/N – Yo! Yo! Okaaaaaay. Long update… and late! Sorry! And what's even more troubling is that I'm not sure if this would really bring home the bomb…

But yes, things would pretty much flare at the ending of this chapter. I'm sure you'll hate me after you finish reading my last word:P Much joy in writing :P yes, the love of making people want to choke you. Hehehehe Again, sorry for a very long, long, long update. Hope you will ever forgive me

Chapter VII

A Sign in a Signing

The rest of the week passed uneventfully. Classes were boring and dreary as over, having occasional talks with Nina, getting scolded by the teacher in the end because we ended up being too noisy. The whole Aira Modeling shit became the flavor of the week then. And how stupid of me to think it wouldn't spread in class, with Nina's big mouth and the fact that news literally had wings they fly so easily within the class… school proper and whatever…

It was sort of stressing, I had a lot of rumors to handle, and thanks to S.K. another plus one in my rumor list, but I'm not blaming anyone. Actually, if there's someone worthy to blame, it should be Nina… Just this afternoon, I even had trouble getting away from a couple of girls who actually attempted showing off in front of S.K. in some photo shoot done somewhere…

Why were you even chosen by S.K. anyway? It's not as if you're way more beautiful than me,

One of the girls bragged with overflowing arrogance it made me want to slap her, carry the school desk I was resting my hands on and slam it into her face, and call her a bitch and everything. The only problem was that the whole group and me were in a populated classroom, and I didn't want to make another story I badmouthed some people again… get myself into detention and deep problems. It was already nearing dismissal. It would be a pity if the school hours were close to an end, and I still managed to do something bad,

I decided to ignore the group taunting me, who were laughing out loud thinking their words affected me badly. Who were they to say I wasn't good enough for S.K. Heck, those bitches weren't good enough for shit.

Oh my God. Did I just say that?

But yes, they weren't good enough for shit. They don't really know what's truly beautiful. All they know about beauty is that materialistic kind of beauty. It's been a few days since I've decided I got to see one of the real faces of beauty then. I think beauty's the sensation when you've gotten yourself into a tragic problem and getting over it triumphant.

Well, anyway, not to ramble about it a lot. I really didn't want to make my mind reach thoughts I really didn't want to put myself into. Leaving them to taunt me without posting even the slightest effect on my face, I got myself into shrugging. What do I care anyway? I was kind of annoyed at Nina though for not making the whole S.K. thing private. Nevertheless, I had to admit sometimes I really enjoyed hearing a few people whisper and glance at me in a certain way. Like how the tennis-princess managed to get a job in Aira… or how a used-to-be tomboy ended up being a potential model… or the possibility of an issue growing about Kaji's say to this…

They sound ridiculous enough to make me die out of laughter

Having an earshot of my chuckle, I hugged my pillow and let myself fall down on my bed, letting my body a bounce or two. I stared at my ceiling that was something of a crème-ish, mocha hue, that specific shade which reminded me of foamy and creamy coffee a lot. I looked next to my Spongebob calendar, looking particularly to August 17 – tomorrow – with a red circle and a scribble obviously done in haste,

August 17… go to mall with Nina… 

It just got to me late that august 17 would be tomorrow. I hauled a sigh, hugging my pillow tighter. Nice. I still have to get an outfit for tomorrow. It was more of a ritual for me to dress up for everything with 'going out' in it. I smirked, "Just like a model, huh?" I asked myself. I tried getting up, going to my wardrobe, getting some clothes, removing them from hangers— whatever I always do whenever dressing up— but then, my body refused to get up. "Arghhh,"

In addition to that, my stomach was grumbling incessantly, since I didn't have a proper dinner a while ago. Pancakes. It was the easiest to cook so I got myself two non-filling pancakes… and now Tommy the tummy was grumbling… I sighed. I tried getting up on my bed, but I really couldn't… For once, my bed felt like a magnet, and I were metal.

The window was half-open; it was colder when it is than using the air-con, which was kind of expensive too. Maybe I'll just sleep now… resolving on dismissing the day, already giving myself my deserved shut-eye, and turning off the lights.

---------------------

Shopping's a gift, but shopping with a credit card with no worries of budget is simply a grace. I left home an hour before noon, not anymore planning to get into perspective about my wardrobe. I didn't even think of getting prepared slowly since Nina might wander off around the mall again, if she gets impatient with me; and since she was kind of having trouble using a mobile phone, it was often very hard to track her whereabouts.

I got to the train station twenty minutes later, and after getting down, a brief walk followed. I looked at my leather-strap watch; it said it was 11:30am. I sighed a bit. The road here was never jam-packed with traffic, nor the sidewalks mobbed by a horde of passers-by.

Nina and I were supposed to meet in this cool hangout place just a few blocks from the mall we're supposed to visit. A restaurant known as 'The Hammocks' derived from the restaurant's seats, hammocks swaying for you to seat, or even to lie on. It was kind of popular here in town since the restaurant crew actually allows you to sleep there provided you order a decent set of meals. Otherwise if you did sleep without ordering anything, the moment you wake up you're going to realize you're already inside a trashcan.

I took notice of the restaurant then, a building designed like the deck of a pirate ship, it looked conspicuous since it was the oddly structured building that stood out from all the dully-shaped skyscrapers and buildings.

As I glanced through one of the windows, and then entering, I saw Nina without really looking around. The bistro was full of life, a clutter of forks and spoons clashing with ceramic plates like sword-fights. The suspended mix of different voices added to the life of The Hammocks. Spotting my blonde best friend immediately with her hair swept by an orange headband, I passed by a member of the women's tennis club with some guy I assumed wasn't in Eyobashi. Anyhow, I just gave them a cheerful nod when they noticed I was partly glancing at them and walked to Nina, they just looked at me weird.

I grinned when I saw her she was wearing an orange bubble dress I dared her to wear. She really didn't like puffy clothes, but I swear to God bubble dresses suit her. I gave her a wave, and peck on the cheeks, "Hey, sorry if I'm kind of late."

"Nah, it's okay. I met some friends here too, like Nene from your club? She talked to me a while too, while her date wasn't here yet. This restaurant's really popular with a lot," she said,

I laughed, "—with a lot of fresh, young people." I finished her sentence, reminding me of Mimi's Locket. That pitiful place only a few know about, half of which was of the old people. But yeah— I have to admit sometimes those lonely cafés were the best, with charming tenders, and interesting women going in and out of that creaky wooden door. Heck… sometimes I thought how I even got a pretty much cool offer just by going inside a run-down café. "Nice dress," I commented, kind of sarcastically, even though it really looked good on her,

Expecting to hear a groan or an annoyed reply, she actually laughed, "At least I looked more normal than you."

I fumbled my mind what did she mean by that, only to realize I wore my shirt of the inside, outside. I blushed a bit. I think that's the explanation why Nene gave me a twisted look. And it was ironic Nina looked more of a real human than I did. I sweat-dropped, "Hey, I was hurrying not for you to wait that much, I didn't even get some grub before going here."

"Not really my fault, I guess." She replied, sticking her tongue, "It's not me to blame your alarm clock didn't wake you up or something."

"Sheesh!" I was losing, and I wanted to cut the petty argument already, "Can't I just go to comfort room and fix myself, then call a waiter, eat and go to the mall already?" My stomach grumbled after,

The witch had a hearty giggle, "Amazing timing," I sighed and shrugged. And that concluded the battle. Nina won. "You better go to the C.R. and fix yourself. I'll order something for both of us," Reflecting upon what she said, it hit me humorously she sounded more of a real human than I did.

When I came back to our table a couple of minutes after, having to let me wait until the women's C.R. was completely vacant since I was embarrassed to dress up all over again while allowing the other girls look at me in that sort of peculiar, freaked-out way; Nina had ordered Pirates' Calamares, and Parrot pasta which turned out to be Penne with seafood toppings, two glasses of orange soda and chocolate cake for dessert. It looked like heaven on a white-sheet-covered table. Nina sat on her hammock, smiling when I joined her, "C'mon, shall we?" she invited me over,

A minute after we added to the clutter of sounds that seemed like a thousand sword duels.

--------------------------

"Oh God…" Nina said to no one in particular, but it sounded like she regretted what she just ate… and I don't wonder why.

I knew exactly what she felt. It was the first time after a long while since I got to eat a heavy lunch with another girl. Believe me, it was more or less rare. I could say it would be near to be considered a ritual or a cult actually, scolding your lunch mate when she had enough – three spoonfuls of rice, two strips of beef, and a chocolate muffin – saying she might get fat and diabetes hand in hand, almost in a fashion that was aggressive enough, it would like a threat. I sweat dropped. I'm pretty sure that lunchmate of ours had ulcer a couple of times already… we used to hang out often.

Well, anyway, I stared at the huge building before us, known to be the third house of the teens. The mall.

As expected, it was crowded. It always was during weekends,

Nina would always point and shout loudly outside of the shops; publicly telling she wants to try out an item, or something. People would look at her, either in an annoyed face or a smiling one. At first, I always end up in an embarrassing situation with her. There was a time she even had to go to the security since she couldn't find me… They had to page my name on the loudspeakers, telling me to come over the security office. The whole fact that at that certain day she looked older than me in a way made it so much quirkier.

We got to buy to two jackets. One for me, and one for Nina… we even fought which is for whom since both of us liked the same color of the same jacket. Unfortunately, there was only one; so the saleswoman got frightened both of us might get heated up and cause commotion inside the boutique. On the spur of the moment, she had to go to the other store at the opposite side of the big mall just to get us another stack of that jacket, having the hunch we could be blowing up the store if the petty fight continued. Well, with me smiling like a little runt, the saleslady was right.

Nina laughed, drinking her mango shake she bought after the jacket incident and on the other hand her shopping bag, "That's one way to freak out a saleslady."

"I know right, haha." Thinking for a while how much we spent on the jackets, we passed by the game center, an irritating yet tempting cacophony filling the hall. "Say, wanna go to the arcade?"

In our language, that meant challenging either to play Dance Dance Revolution… Both of us hungrily looked at the vacant dancing simulation game stage. The next thing afterwards I was already stomping on the stage for practice while Nina was speedily buying a game card.

In no more than a jiffy, we already swiped the card loading with just enough for us to play one game. I glanced at Nina, who looked a bit of exaggerated with eyes of deviance that made her all heated up… I just smirked why was she even making an overly big deal out of this. Well, anyway, she loved Dance Dance even since I introduced her to arcade… or rather ever since the first time Tsujiai and Nina had fun in Dance Dance Revolution.

I remember Tsujiai was her first dancing opponent… and I also remember her funny antique when she tripped on one foot, and bumped on Tsujiai… sending both of them to the floor. I sniggered at the idea, noticing the crowd setting behind us to watch. The beats started pumping, and some of the people in the crowd growled and cheered. Both of us commenced the little arcade duel, doing a blitz of footwork… starting to realize how Nina had improved doing her steps… in grace that is. The last time I saw her dancing she rather looked like a galactic monkey going berserk. Whoops. I thought that was a little bit of mean…

The beat was getting faster, and the breakdown of the dance steps got messier… making a series of jumps inevitable and complicated. Nina selected the difficult level, and it wasn't hard to focus and do… not unless you hear an arrogant guy shouting most probably to you "Go Tigress!" or something.

What an idiot.

My eyes went a little bit beside to see who was the bold kid… laughing in the end and insulting myself it was Tsujiai… and I suppose he referred tigress to my best friend witch… who was smiling candidly… a proud facing because she had a 208 all-perfect combo. The song had ended, and her score's way higher than the one I got.

"Surprised?" she asked with a grin, going down the stage, some of the dudes she passed by looking at her with admiration as if any second now they may not contain themselves anymore and kneel down to pay their worship.

"You just get better just because your _boyfriend _is here." She impressed me with her ignoring skills as she picked up her shopping bags.

And she gave me her yeah-right-whatever look. I decided to cut her some slack since Tsujiai was approaching, opted that I should not argue with her no more. He wore his favorite orange shirt and fatigue green cargo shorts, and stylishly disarrayed hair… "Oy." He greeted both of us casually,

"Hey!" Nina and I greeted back in unison. We went outside since it was too noisy in the game center, watching another couple going up the Dance Dance stage, and another crowd at that.

"What brings you here?" Nina asked,

"Is it a sin? Komai and the others were also here a while ago actually excluding Kaji since he had to go to Mimi's this afternoon." He smiled, "I decided to stay since I remembered I had to check my amplifier for Sheila since the feedback's bad…"

Sheila is Tsujiai's bass guitar. I know. How weird. I really don't know what's with Connect the Dots and the 101 reasons why they name their instruments… "Where's the amplifier then?" Nina asked,

I brooded mischievously (and surely it was hard to avoid not to) if it was just a lame excuse of Tsujiai for being here. Maybe he'd been taking seriously what I've been telling him last night? By some chance while Nina and him were having a loud conversation our eyes met, and I nearly laughed about how I was so right.

"Hey," Tsujiai started with a smile, but I swear to god I could hear a blunt sigh, "You guys wanna go with me to the amp shop? It hurts to be alone."

_It sure does… _I thought blandly, thinking of my own household. "Wow. Nice strategy." I teased the olive-haired dude,

"Don't make me feel worse. Kaji forced me to do this." He sighed, observing Nina walk in a dainty, perky way it was definitely hard not to look at her. "Ayu! Tsujiai! Hurry up!" she shouted behind us without shame

"And anyhow, you should be ashamed of yourself… Nina won? Haha! Loser!" He grinned as he flashed the despicable L (the L-hand symbol for loser… we call it the despicable L).

The mass crowd looked even more massive when you're looking away at the plaza from the second floor… It was the centermost of the mall, and apparently streamers and buntings hung from the windowed ceiling. A solid buzz floated within the atmosphere, and a million heads were lined up waiting and standing up at the center. "Wow. It's as if it's a big holiday today…" Nina said, looking at the awfully tight horde squirming,

"Hey, Ayu," Tsujiai said,

"Yeah?"

He pointed at one of the banners, AIRA MODELLING. "Isn't that the agency trying to hire you?"

I nodded, "Wow…" Nina said behind my shoulder, looking at the banner, "And look at the crowd… must be something big, I guess." She continued, "C'mon, let's go… Tsujiai's amp is waiting."

I browsed the little mayhem at the plaza… If Aira was here, I wonder if S.K. was here too… "Ayu? C'mon, let's get going." Nina called out to me again,

"I'll catch up with you guys later." I asked mindlessly, and ran to the escalator and descended to the plaza. The heat was domineering as I plunged to the mob… and if I could have observed no less, most that involved of the crowd were young women. And to think I was a plus one to the sea of countless heads. I began to wonder what was Aira's reason why there's a big sum of people in the plaza. And of course S.K. would know. She is the president, right?

Anyway, they were playing a bar song again, and most of the girls got into the rush hype and the upbeat jumping. It made you feel like you were in a party hole full of wild people. "What's happening anyway?" I told myself with a sigh.

If Aira thought it would be an infectious idea of transforming the plaza to a bar-like place and attract as much people as they can, well, that's really creative. And maybe at the back of my mind there was the dangling conclusion it would be the quirky president behind all of this.

Speak of the devil, there she was. Just a few meters away from me, surrounded by media people, and there she was… eating apple-cinnamon licorice and sweet pastries on one hand, and the on the other was a bottle of grape soda… As if not taking consideration of her weight… She did look perfect in her velvet georgette, her hair glamorously standing out from all others,

Fat people must hate her. S.K. could eat a much as they can and she could still had the grace of slimness. She was again the first one to say hello, and she didn't even look as if it was by chance I was here standing stupidly looking at her. She grinned at first, that peculiar face twist of hers that gave off her spunk, "I'm pleased meeting you here, Ms. Tateishi."

She really didn't seem to be surprised, as if she expected me to be here. I stared at her suspiciously, although not that kind of accusing suspicion. "Hello, S.K." I greeted back,

"It's been a week now," she reminded me,

"Oh, you remembered," I told her unsurely, if what I said was right,

She raised her brow, again with a skeptic smile, "Who wouldn't?" she replied.

I suppose she has the knack of knocking one's heart with her compliments. Although I really tried hard to put a hard shell around me, I had to blush.

"Well?" She asked me with that exact sugary voice she used on me last week,

"Well what?" I replied quickly, hoping she wouldn't beat around the bush.

"Will you accept the offer I gave to you?" She told me directly. I noticed people started looking at us… well… looking at me, more particularly,

Some of them were photographers, their cameras' flashes notorious and blinding,

"Ms. Kawakami, we don't think the media knows who're you talking right now."

Some burly man ambushed me with his microphone with an obviously forced friendly smile that made his face more or less freaky; he asked me then, "Miss, what is your name, and what is your relationship with Ms. Kawakami."

I tried to say I wasn't of any relationship to the president, but then, another seeming multitude of reporters horded me trapped me in a circle. Unfortunately, another set of people that looked like T.V. crewmen came to picture, with cameras and media shit. I so wanted to step on S.K.s foot right now, "S.K.!!" I hushed her name, "What do we do?"

She sighed, "C'mon, act like a celebrity, Ayu." She said in undertone, keeping that smile displayed for the cameras, "Yes," she told a reporter for TTS news, "Aira's holding a mall fashion show later, and autograph signing…"

She seems to be enjoying herself. For the love of God, if only I could just get out of this mayhem. "… her name's actually Ayu Tateishi."

Did I just hear my name? I looked outrageously at S.K. but her focus was in the darn cameramen. I regretted letting my curiosity take over me. The last thing I wanted was bad publicity…

Oh yeah, I really don't know though if it would really be bad publicity, since it was S.K. who's actually a giant personality in town, would be a bad publicist. "Miss Tateishi!" Some of the media people dispersed from S.K.'s crowd and became my own, "Tell us, it seems that you have quite known Ms. S.K. for a while now. Are you close friends with the president? How did you know her, and how long?"

"Errr…" I started out as a failure. I looked at S.K. and she was smiling. What the hell was her problem?! I couldn't even help myself here, and how dare she say and introduce me and my name, I don't even know how to handle all these media, and all these silly camera shots. Gosh. I know too much of myself that I don't look good in candid. "Uhmm—"

I closed my eyes in desperation, obviously telling me I'm a hopeless case… I wished I just came along with Nina and Tsujiai. I sighed, wishing I had no ears so that I couldn't hear the annoying buzzes and the harsh feeling of microphones sticking out before your might as if the little stupid mics expect me to say or blurt anything,

And then I felt a warm brush on my arm. Feeling violated, I was read to slap the doer when suddenly, it tugged me away from the crowd. "Ouch! Hey!" I smacked the hand that tugged me away from the crowd so roughly and spontaneous it hurt and shocked me,

"Sh! Don't grab too much attention again, or else the crew people's going to notice you're not there anymore," It was a male voice,

"What?! S.K was the one who grabbed attention for me. She like shoveled all the attention to me," I retorted, my voice rising,

"Can you just calm down?"

My eyes dropped down to his neck, much to my frustration, I saw a camera, hung on her neck with a black strap, "You! Are you part of the media also?" The dude had long hair, impulsive eyes that seemed alert. From his set of clothes, a white plaid shirt and baggy fatigue pants, he was a cozy asshole.

"No, and quiet down." He replied to me, "S.K.'s covering for you, and she asked me to get you away from them already." He held my arm again and we walked inconspicuously away from the plaza,

"Wait! I can't trust you! Don't touch me!" I tapped his hand away from me again, "S.K. asked you? How do you know S.K.?"

He smirked at that, "Let me return back to you the question: How do you know S.K.?"

I looked at him with eyes that spelled deadly, "It's not your business," I dismissed him

"Then it's also not your business to know how I'm related to Ms. Seki, miss." He replied with a smile, a teasing one, perhaps. I couldn't say a thing. He led me to a secluded place behind a garbage can… Jeez… of all places! "Gotta go, be sure you don't go back to the plaza, or even go near." He already started to walk away,

"Wait," I said in impulse, "What's your name?"

He faced me again, "Does it matter?"

"Errr—" I started off clumsily. I swear he chuckled,

And he walked away, like nothing happened, like nothing transpired.

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A/N – Ho! Ho! Just look at that! Another character, baby! Let's see what happens. It's summer! Wooohoo!! Just the right time for good chapters :P See ya round, hope this chapter isn't that bad:P Don't dare leave this chapter without reviewing. (How threatening, right? Hahaha!!


	8. Stupid

Trickle

Ultra Maniac

By Whimsical Gentleman

A/N – Yo guys! What's up? I haven't updated anymore this summer. Sorry guys. Darn, I just have too many activities to do than write stories locked up inside my room:). Haha.i hope you forgive me. Anyway, on with the story! This chapter will take a break with all the Ayu-Kaji thingie going on. And will narrate about Nina and Tsujiai. Hehehe. Hope you like it

Chapter VIII

Stupid

It's funny. The time lapsed in ease as Tsujiai and I went down and found the music shop and check up Tsujiai's amplifier. I could tell he looked mildly annoyed ay Ayu for spontaneously leaving us alone. And who could blame her for that? It's Aira that met her that instance. That big-time agency whose president suddenly offered Ayu a big job at the day her mom died.

I caught Tsujiai having an obvious side glance upon me again, and I tried my best not to notice it. We went in the shop, as I observantly read the façade lit in cheap green neon lights that got my eyes irritated for a sec, 'JB Music'. It was overcrowded with guitars of all kinds, gargantuan drum sets, synthesizers hung on the walls like museum paintings, and amplifiers stacked up in a corner. It was so much full of stuff, and it seemed like the staff was having a great deal of trouble fixing the whole shop.

"Nina, it's kinda crowded inside? You don't have to go around with me if you want," Tsujiai smiled gently and courteous, even gentlemanly

I shook my head with a denying hand, "Nah, I'll go with you. If Ayu was here she could have killed you."

He laughed a bit, "And why is that?"

"She treats me like a kid," I sighed, "She doesn't like it if I'm not accompanied by someone close at the mall." I heard him snort, "Hey, rude!" Tsujiai just laughed.

The bastard…

"It's like your dumb or something. It's like you haven't learned anything in the human world,"

"I had learned something!" I defended almost reflexively, "It's just that Ayu stopped trusting me after being fooled by fuckers who took advantage of poor, clueless witches on the streets at night,"

"Oh, they never told me that." And then he started laughing again like some weirdo. I pouted at him, giving him a faint, teased slap on his cheek,

"C'mon, at least give me some sympathy."

But I knew there wasn't a word called sympathy or any relative synonym in Tsujiai's vocabulary, and sighed in conclusion. The whole conversation was a funny mess… "—just kidding, alright?" His voice trailed, and I noticed how charming it really was— that is — if he's in the mood to talk… He smiled at that, lifting his camp carefully at the table situated near the cashier's station which was cramped up at the center of the much disheveled music shop.

A tall salesman and technician approached Tsujiai with a smile. That kind of smile that was just practiced and untrue… The forced curve on his lips that shouted 'I'm smiling, tell me what's the problem, then leave me alone so I can fix whatever it is'. "Can I help you sir?" His smile was wanly and forcefully executed.

Tsujiai patted his amp softly like what he would do to his really annoying cat (So annoying I actually forgot the name) I glared at his hand caressing the amplifier. I never liked how Tsujiai does that… and suddenly… I blushed. I suddenly thought what if he was caressing me the same way. Would I still dislike it? "Can you get my darling fixed? I triedit out just the morning ago with my bass and the feedback was abysmal."

_Darling_? I mentally laughed and was quite skeptic with what he just addressed to his amplifier. Who would call something… _Darling_?

The tall man nodded, "Okay, do you mind if I check it up first at my room?" Tsujiai told him yes, "Very well, that would take about fifteen to thirty minutes." He informed us both with another smile, this time, telling us to scram and get lost. He lifted the amplifier with one hand without any obvious effort and went away.

"I guess it'd be uncomfortable waiting around here?" Tsujiai asked me.

That was one stupid question. Why would anyone wait in a cramped up shop like this one?

"Say, wanna walk around?" he finally suggested, and I nodded,

"Yup, we might even find Ayu too." We exited the shop. And it was kind of comic when I saw Tsujiai was enjoying himself… With what, I do not know. But it came to me maybe just walking with me was already pleasant for him. I grew crimson just working on the idea. I guess there was simply no way… I shook the idea off my head and started my mouth off again,

"Sooo, how was the practice?" I asked him, remembering from minutes ago they did have rehearsals at Kaji's place, "Even though you amplifier wasn't operating properly."

He gave me a high brow and a shrug paired up together wonderfully like a hot couple dancing with Latino music, "It went bad. We ended up not practicing any of our songs and went here instead… so I guess it's wrong to call it practice, Nina." He laughed, "It's been a series of times that Kaji got heated up with the bad. God, sometimes he gets pissed at us, the music, himself, or nothing at all. It's like he gets pissed at us for the silliest of reasons." His face was thoughtful for a second, and then he resumed talking again, "I remember there was one time Jiro was smoking at his garden— well, his parents were out anyway— the ash fell on the ground and Kaji burst mad like a cranky old geezer. It's almost as if Jiro committed murder or something."

"Yeah? How come he's different when Ayu and I are around?"

"_Of course_ he's different when you girls are around." He said almost without a second passing by, like stating the obvious. Our eyes caught an ice cream stall and we lined up, along with a middle aged blonde woman in a crimson blazer talking on her cell phone while waiting for her order. There was the loud ramble of band music coming from the commotion where Ayu lost herself in… that crazy Aira fair, the mixture of claps and loud cameras blending in.

Thinking back to what Tsujiai told me, I really didn't understand what he meant by what he said. "Bleh. It's a guy thing anyway." Tsujiai dismissed simply and finally ordered as soon as the Blazer Blonde walked away with strawberry sundae grasped on her hands. Tsujiai got both of us two 'supahsize' honey-vanilla ice cream in sugar cones. He told me he'd treat me just before he talked to the ice cream lady and ordered, and he really did, much to my badly-handled guilt since I saw his malnourished wallet.

"Don't you have to pay for the dude checkin' up your amp or something?" I asked, which was already futile since by the time I asked him that he had already paid for the ice cream,

"Oh. No, the manager's a friend of Komai, so sometimes we get free service, cool huh? Since we go there a lot, most employees know us." He grinned at me boyishly, and we sat down on a green bench opposite a magazine stand just meters away from the ice cream stall. "And by the way, my amp has a name you know, it's Sheila."

He said his amplifier's name so lovingly there was a funny feeling inside of me that wished he called me Sheila just the same.

Catching myself thinking things like that, I shoved the idea off my brain, red again, like boiled ham. And then he looked at me, with the ice cream in his mouth. "Hey," he said, trying the best to hide that redness splashed on my face even though it was impossible to do so. "I didn't know you go red when you eat something cold, Nina."

_It isn't the vanilla ice cream, stupid idiot._

I only nodded though, yeah, that was some reasonable excuse I guess… other than you infatuating on someone. I sucked harder on my ice cream then, _Infatuation?_ I questioned myself. He did look cute most of the time. Cute in a weird way. In his trademark indifference or his shallow thinking, I find myself in curiosity what really goes around that eccentric mind Tsujiai has. And then I said to myself, maybe his peculiarity fascinates me so much? That was more of a question than a statement. "Just mind your ice cream, Hiroki."

Abruptly, he looked at me in a fashion as if he just witnessed a phenomenal magic trick. _Hiroki? You just called me Hiroki? Oh god, tell me I heard you right or I might just strangle you any second now. Of all circumstances why do you have to call me Hiroki while eating ice cream... You couldn't pick a better time, babe. _His eyes seemed to say, but in its deception, they were calm and cold.

I decided not to say anything. Rather, he smiled at me, and it seemed so strange, as he smiled with a certain slyness as if it had a secret meaning to it, or maybe even mischief. I guess it was awkward enough to count on the silence between us that moment… have hope the silence comforted the sudden tension building up. The green bench we were sitting on could shake, actually.

And then a brunette I knew so well passed by, she had an athlete's body, with the disposition you knew immediately that person was sporty. You could already buy that impression she's one cool and confident gal, there was just this one thing that made you hesitate: she looked disoriented, like when someone didn't know where to go. It was Ayu. She looked so lost, a metaphor for her would be a desert cactus on an ocean bed. However, as much as I could laugh out loud, I kind of thanked her for suddenly appearing so unexpectedly. She just saved Tsujiai and me from the biting awkwardness swimming around both of us. I side-glanced at Tsujiai; he doesn't seem to notice Ayu who was just standing in front of us looking confused like a half-conscious somnambulist.

I stood up, and started for my best friend, "Hey, where are you going, Nina?" He then brushed his hand against mine promptly, a bit too quick and strangely a firm touch you could replace brushing my hand for _pulling_ my hand. And there was this sickly warm, amiable feeling that began to carry into me. I breathed for a moment, trying to control the circulatory works of my body; my heart was pumping like fuck. And yes, we ended up in one of those ever-so-classical poses that never fail to ring the alarm. Well, one thing was that I was sitting on his lap; the second thing was that his ice cream got splattered on his shirt. I didn't scream or freak out or anything, but the action itself was rather loud. Everyone looked at us; some people were frowning, but most were giggling with their hands covering their mouths.

Both of us blushed at the same time. I thanked that ice cream landed on his shirt, _served him right_. I sighed, as Ayu shuffled towards us. We didn't even call each other's names. Sheesh. I stood up immediately from Tsujiai's lap, clumsily smiling at that darn Ayu, "Oh… hey! You sure showed up unexpectedly." I said,

Tsujiai's voice was rueful and partly blaming, "Nina, at least you could have helped me first wiping the mess—"

"—you've created." I continued, in this voice I imagined what a mom would be using. I heard him sigh out loud, and he wiped himself with his kerchief,

Ayu just smirked, the scheming type I always thought was boldly suspicious, "And since when did Nina finished Tsujiai's sentences? Not to mention why was Nina on your lap, big guy." Ayu said,

"Oh just shut up," Instantly, Tsujiai and I said in a mumbled tone; I knew both our faces were already ketchup red. Ayu would not simply remove that disturbing, impish grin stapled on her face, "Can we just talk about something else right now?" I asked her impatiently, and I knew Tsujiai agreed with me.

And then Tsujiai finally stood up, the tallest among the three of us, "Can we just go back to the music store have an update on Sheila?" He heaved a sigh, impatient and mild; _Can you girls just give a fuck on my ice-cream smeared shirt? _He silently said to both of us,

Ayu pinched me on the back of my arm, "C'mon, just pamper the dude, Nina." She whispered with best vixen imitation she could copy, "It's just so unfair; Yuta gets all your attention. And what does Tsujiai get, some lousy conversation, he had to tug you down on his lap just to flirt with you, instead, he gets ice cream on his shirt." Tsujiai walked faster than us both, of course Ayu's voice (she kept it absurdly low and gossipy) was only intended for poor guilty me.

"Okay! Fine! Well, he was the one who pulled me towards him in the first place."

"Just do what you're supposed to do." She dismissed me just like that, "It's about time he gets into picture."

"And what, allow Yuta and Tsujiai to fight over something as silly as a girl— well, to be exact, me?"

And then Ayu had her impish grin there again, "Won't you quit the prissy act? Now you pamper him, I'll leave you guys alone."

It was her subtle victory, I just nodded in my loss, "Where are you going then?" What the hell, she was always the one who was always worried about me in a public place, and here she is, suddenly popping out of nowhere and runs away like she just doesn't care, leaves me alone.

"Tell him I had to go to C.R. or something. What music store did you guys leave that amp of his?"

"JB Music." I told her, "It's—"

"Yes, yes, I know that place. Kaji usually visits there a lot of times. Anyway, good luck. And I'll tell you something weird later." It came out as something like a gust of wind; it could be considered just one whole sentence. All the things she just blabbered about.

"Err— wait…!" And then she just ran off, maybe something had happened before we've met her walking lost and stupid. I wonder what was wrong with her for a minute. And then I guess there was always something wrong with her. I realized that with a sweat drop.

I decided to turn about, at Tsujiai's direction, and he was already at a long distance away from me. Maybe he didn't turn back at us, stupid and pretty bitches arguing in the middle of a walkway (probably because he didn't want to get into the petty trouble we usually cause) _Oh come on, he gets pissed at me because I didn't take notice of the ice cream on his polo shirt? How irrational could he get? _

"Hey, can you slow down? You could sprint with that walk, Tsujiai." _Hiroki… _The name popped out in my head _forcefully_.Surprisingly, he did slow down— well, stop would be a better verb for it. He looked at me then and smiled glumly. The ice cream on his shirt was already dry. _Obviously I couldn't clean that off… _

"Where's Ayu?" he asked me,

"She loves leaving us alone, right?" I smiled back, exerting effort not to let him think there was hidden meaning in what I've told him. He shrugged, "Well, anyway, she told me she had to go the C.R." (My god, of all the lamest excuses)"…and she'd meet us back at JB's."

"She knows where that is?" He told me, puzzled. Ayu didn't go to music stores when she was in a mall, I think everybody understood that, "Oh yeah, Kaji always goes there, maybe Ayu just tags along or something."

"That's what Ayu said too." I said to him, another thought came to mind. It probably led me to inferring that Ayu and Kaji always went there together. I'm sure maybe Tsujiai was thinking of that too, and here we are, doing the same thing Ayu and Kaji does more or less when they're together and they happen to pass by the mall.

Well— not like I was in heaven or in torture being with Tsujiai for the time being. But it sure was something, that mere walk to the music store, it could be equally compared to a big event like Christmas. And what could I say, in its randomness it felt great somehow walking with Tsujiai… Hiroki… in its anonymity it felt great and significant like Christmas.

We stepped up on the moving escalator, strangely, a little too slow, "Nina?" he called my name. It sounded as if there was some question after it,

"Hmm?"

I caught his hand in a fist, like he was to punch something, "No— it's nothing—"

_And of course he's just lying._

"…I just wanna thank you." He finally said it,

_Thank me? _Heck, he was the one who had to pay for my ice cream. I could tell from his look I had the look that looked like I didn't believe what he just said, "For heaven's sake, thank me for what?" I asked him skeptically, _What? For spending time with you?_

"For being here," he replied, straightforwardly, his stare that excavated every inch of my face made me consider it was even daring and brave,

_Oh yes, what a classic, _so classic even Magic Kingdom dudes tell girls that; with those silly mushy eyes and the hilariously corny deep voice. "But we've always spend time together right?"

"But I insist I thank you," he grinned at me. _I reached the point I knew Tsujiai's thanks were different. _Yuta's weren't as nice, truth be told.

"And you don't have to be so formal, please."

"But you do accept it, right?"

I waved a hand at him, and sighed resigned, "Fine, fine… all for a thank you… How— how—"

"Gentlemanly, haha." His tongue was out, taunting.

_Idiot. He called himself gentlemanly? He's a jerk, that's what he is…_

_A gentlemanly jerk…_

I decided not to say anything. He looked he was enjoying his time, and frankly, if I have to be honest with my own self, I was enjoying too. And I was quite amazed that I just noticed it now.

Stupid, isn't it.


End file.
